Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between
by Stara-and-Nataku
Summary: *A/R* She was a pure angel who was sent to Hell. He was an evil demon who got into Heaven. When they're both sent to Earth to kill the other, will they succeed? Or will love and lust get in the way? (Usagi/Mamoru)
1. The Files

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Something we put here to save our own butts. Umm...we don't own Heaven, Hell, er...Sailor Moon or...yeah, basically anything. No, wait, WE DO OWN IT ALL!! BWHAHAHAHAHA! You'll never find us, yes, we own it all. Just try and sue our butts, we have a tax lawyer on our side!!  
The mighty tax lawyer of power. Um...yeah, actually Stara's best friend's dad....so...yeah. We should end it here I suppose...yeah...um...In case you are trying to find us and have lots of sugar and pretzels we are staking out in the "Psychology" section of the New Yorkk library...OK!  
  
SCARY WARNING AUTHOR NOTE: Okay, on a more serious note, let us tell you that we do not ACTUALLY believe in the conecept behind this story. This is not meant to brainwash, convince, or convert any person/persons/things/obsessed zombies. We are merely using this system as a way of our "creative liscence". Um, please do not flame us because you don't like the way we portray religion. Any flames will go in your file and you know what THAT means. Of course, we accept flames for other reasons, but not just because you don't agree witht the idea of the story. I mean, come on, no one flames the people on Touched By an Angel now do they? So, have mercy on us. (Remember your file!!!!) This story was just made to be amusing and is a romance, or well, eventually will be a romance. This is just the prologue and the purpose of it is to introduce the plotline and some of the story. (As it is with most prologues) So if you prefer, don't think of it as "religion" think of it as a Justice System. Yeah, that's right. So...  
  
REAL AUTHOR NOTE: Now, we're going to say the stuff that we really want to say instead of all the crap we're forced to say in order to save our butts. ^_^ Where did we get the idea for the story, exactly? Well, actually, it's a funny story. You see, Stara was watching the movie DOGMA one day (which we ALSO own)(Remember, the "psychology" section of the new york library, in case you want to meet up with our tax lawyer and sue us) and then she was wondering, what if the devil was in Heaven and God was in Hell? Well, of course, this lead to lots of theological discussion and more times of watching Dogma before she realized that she must NOT use the devil and God themselves but rather their spawn. (Angels and Demons) This still leaves us with a rather interesting scenario. Somehow, after lots and lots of bribing of pretzels, she finally talked Nata-chan into helping her, and thus this story was born!!!! In case you're wondering, we are writing this together so there will be two writing styles in the story. Oh yes, very interesting indeed. Very interesting...they should write a story about it...wait, WE ARE! Sorry, I'll behave now...*pats her head where Nata previously hit her* THAT LINE WAS JUST CUT BECAUSE SUPPOSEDLY IT IS TOO VIOLENT FOR YOUR EYES. AHHHH. Um, you should be at least 13 if you're reading a Rated R story, though I heard you should be 17 or something, right? Well, we're not even 17 and we're writing it! ^_^ So all you kids who want to destroy your innocence enjoy! *shakes head* Soon you will be living off of pretzels and sugar too...  
  
We know that was long, but necessary considering the nature of the story. Now on with the proglogue. ^_^   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Existence.  
  
The meaning behind it has been pondered by so many people that the mere  
mention of it seems cliche, yet none of these people have figured it out yet. Oh yes, there  
are those with their beliefs and theories, but what is the purpose of Earth? Why are we  
here?   
  
In most religous studies people learn of two things that are spoken of quite often in  
the holy scriptures: heaven and hell. These words are said to represent the final resting  
places of all humanity. The higher being, God, is said to reside in one of these places, the  
one known as heaven. In heaven there are things greater than anyone could ever imagine,  
there is peace, harmony, and sanctuary for all.  
  
Everyone is given a chance to be in this place of eternal joy for forever, next to their God, but only those worthy may enter the golden gates. Each day, every move one makes is closely watched and graded by some unseen and myserious race. Every lie told, every evil thought that enters one's mind, all of it is recorded in a file and stored until the day that one dies. When a person dies, they are handed their folder and then sent into a judgement period. A council takes the folder and then seals their fate with one word, the name of the place one will inhabit for the rest of eternity.   
  
Those who are not worthy of entering the golden gates must take the long,  
treachorous journey into the fiery pits of Hell. There Lucifer, also known as Satan, waits  
for them, planning out the torture and pain that he will inflict upon those who made  
people suffer and whose souls will now suffer for all of eternity.   
  
And so, the system goes, all those who are evil being placed into damnation, which alone would be hell, and all those who are pure and good are surrounded by pathicism and harmony.   
  
The system works.   
  
The system is flawless.   
  
Or is it?   
  
  
There was one day on this Earth when only two people died.   
  
Just two.   
  
No one knew why it happened this way, but it did. These two people could not have been more  
different. One was a girl, with pale skin and deep blue eyes. She had never commited a  
single sin in all her seventeen years of existence, and so she carried nothing. The other  
was a man, with ebony hair and eyes of sapphire. He had commited more sins in his  
twenty years than any other person in the entirety of existence. He struggled under the  
weight of his folder, not knowing that it held his fate, and stumbled a couple times. He  
had been ill when he died, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as his weak arms  
tried to carry his load. The girl, being good natured and healthy, took the folder from him  
and offered to carry it. Not recognizing what it was, she approached the judging table,  
and was immeadiatly sent down the long path. The man, however, approached the golden  
gates, with a smile on his face and no mark on his conscience.   
  
That is how a demon went to Heaven and an angel went to Hell...  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
So what did you think? Wasn't it funny how our Author Note was longer than the prologue? They'll be longer next time, we promise! (the chapters, not the author notes) Um, well, please review and let us know your opinions!!!!! 


	2. Hell and Heaven

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Something we put here to save our own butts. Umm...we don't own Heaven, Hell, er.. or...yeah, basically anything. No, wait, WE DO OWN IT ALL!! BWHAHAHAHAHA! You'll never find us, yes, we own it all. Just try and sue our butts, we have a tax lawyer on our side!!  
The mighty tax lawyer of power. Um...yeah, actually Stara's best friend's dad....so...yeah. We should end it here I suppose...yeah...um...In case you are trying to find us and have lots of sugar and pretzels we are staking out in the "Psychology" section of the New York library...OK!  
  
SCARY WARNING AUTHOR NOTE: Okay, on a more serious note, let us tell you that we do notg ACTUALLY believe in the conecept behind this story. This is not meant to brainwash, convince, or convert any person/persons/things/obsessed zombies. We are merely using this system as a way of our "creative liscence". Um, please do not flame us because you don't like the way we portray religion. Any flames will go in your file and you know what THAT means. Of course, we accept flames for other reasons, but not just because you don't agree witht the idea of the story. I mean, come on, no one flames the people on Touched By an Angel now do they? So, have mercy on us. (Remember your file!!!!) This story was just made to be amusing and is a romance, or well, eventually will be a romance. This is just the prologue and the purpose of it is to introduce the plotline and some of the story. (As it is with most prologues) So if you prefer, don't think of it as "religion" think of it as a Justice System. Yeah, that's right. So...  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 1- Hell and Heaven  
  
Lucifer allowed his hand to carress her bare back as he stared at her sleeping face.  
"Serenity..." he sighed berating himself inwardly for becoming so attatched to the girl.  
"What am I going to do with you?" She licked her lips unconsciously as she slept and he  
groaned softly as the innocent act reminded him of how badly he needed her to wake up.  
How had such a beautiful creature come to be his? His eyes clouded with memory.   
  
He had been there that day, that wonderful, fateful day when the new shipment of  
evil doers walked down the lonesome path to Hell. They all looked as they normally did:  
scared for themselves, but not ashamed for what they had done. The hagard faces of what  
evil was really made of shown proudly on their faces as they made proclomations of  
innocence and ignorance, yet she had made none.   
  
He was sitting on his crude throne, surrounded by a mote of hot lava, allowing his eyes to glance over the group when he spotted her. His eyes had seemingly been drawn to where she stood among the masses and he gasped at the site of her. She had long, silver hair that fell from two buns and cascaded down her body in waves, like the ocean. Her ivory skin was flawless and she  
had deep blue eyes that looked about the fiery pits with confusion and curiousity. His  
eyes traveled down her slender neck to her supple breasts and thin waist and then down  
her long, heavenly legs. His breath caught in his throat as she moved, her eyes darting  
about among the shouts and screams of terror the crowd was emitting around her. He  
turned to one of his demons, his eyes going dark with lust.  
  
"Bring her to me."  
  
It had taken many months of knowing her before she would be with him, and he  
could not bring himself to force her. Whenever he looked into her eyes he felt himself  
become a zombie, willing to fufill her every whim, and knowing this he kept her within  
his palace walls. He did not need people using this weakness to their advantage. That first  
day he grew to understand that she did not really belong there, that something had gone  
wrong, but he didn't care. A rip in the system was fine as long as it amused him, and she  
definitly did.   
  
At first she found herself unable to grasp the reality behind her situation.   
  
Was she really dead? Was she really in hell? How could she have ended up in such a place? Was  
this man who was so kind to her, really the man that tortured billions of people for all of  
eternity? These were all hard for her mind to grasp, but the latter most of all. The man  
before her, who claimed to be Lucifer, was strikingly handsome. He had tanned skin and  
dark, ebony hair that hid eyes of the richest amber. When he spoke his words were  
smooth and sweet and they suffocated her until her thoughts were completely lost.   
  
He treated her like a princess, letting her sit at his side, feeding her the best foods, and letting her drink the best wine. Oh, the wine! The first time she had taken a swallow she had  
nearly swooned. The velvety liquid was so rich in flavor and it coursed through her body  
like liquid fire, heating her every limb. She only allowed herself a few sips, but one day  
she let herself go. After her first few glasses the world seemed more colorful, the music  
more beautiful, and the man next to her even more charming. His voice coaxed her into a  
stupor and she offered herself to him.   
  
He accepted.   
  
The next morning she awoke next to him, not understanding, and confused. When he looked down at her and smiled, she suddenly found that she didn't care. Her innocent mind wouldn't let her think  
beyond certain boudaries, and his manipulative nature allowed him to shut her away. She  
was his, night after night, and it stayed that way. She was like alcohol to him, so  
addictive and sweet on the tongue. She melted away his troubles. But she did not know of  
his day life or else he knew she wouldn't have him. Every day he ruled his land with  
ruthlessness, but never let her see what went on outside the palace walls. For if she  
demanded him to stop his cruel reign, he knew he would succumb to her will.   
  
Yes, he pondered all these thoughts while he stared down at her, watching her  
eyelids slowly flutter open to reveal the blue orbs. When she saw him a smile teased her  
lips and she looked up at him in her erreathial manner.  
  
"Morning." he said softly, kissing her forehead and then her neck while still  
caressing her lower back.  
  
"Mmm....morning.." she purrrred, closing her eyes and relishing the feel of his  
mouth as it ravished her skin. He moved so that he was on top of her, leaning on his  
elbows, so as not to crush her. His mouth moved down to her collarbone and she gasped  
as he continued his journey downward, to where the sheets covered her naked form. She  
shivered slightly as his hands explored beneath the sheet until he peeled the cloth away.  
Gazing down at her form in all its heavenly glory he groaned as he took his daily dosage  
of Serenity. He could never tire of her...  
  
But she could tire of him.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Kunzite winced as the deafening crash reached his ears. Smiling triumphantly,  
Zoisite turned to him and held out his hand expectantly. The silver-haired saint  
grumbled and slapped a few bills into the other's outstretched hand.  
  
"Fifth time this week."  
  
"Don't remind me," groaned Kunzite. He stood up from his position on the ground  
and brushed some dust off his shoulders. "Besides giving the rest of us a bad  
name, the little monster's been causing a huge PR problem on Earth. Do you KNOW  
how many conversions we've had this week?"  
  
Jadeite chuckled. "Having some trouble with the demon, boys?"  
  
Nephrite folded his arms over his chest. "Trouble would not be the word." He  
pushed up the sleeve on his robe, exposing a nasty little burn. "See that? SEE?  
I caught him filling water balloons with sulfur the other day. When I tried to  
stop him, well..." he let his voice trail off.  
  
Kunzite paled. "You think YOU'VE got it bad? Just last month he took all the  
nuts and bolts out of the Gates to Heaven. The BLOODY GATES TO HEAVEN! We were  
out of commission for almost a week. Saint Peter was going ballistic. How fun do  
you think THAT was to explain to Him?"  
  
Jadeite put his finger to his lips to indicate silence. "Do you hear that?"  
  
The four saints ceased their grumbling and listened. Cursing inwardly (because  
how saintly would it be to use open profanity?), they began running towards the  
noise.   
  
"Remind me again WHY we can't send him back," scowled Kunzite.  
  
Zoisite answered matter-of-factly, "Because the blasted, stuck-up,  
can-do-no-wrong COUNCIL is 'infallible.'" He added a bit of a sneer on the last  
word.  
  
It was true. The Council of Judgment, in charge of the most high decision, the  
place all would reside in for eternity, considered themselves to be so incapable  
of mistakes that their final word was irreversible. Endymion's appearance at the  
Gates of Heaven had startled many, but assuming that, well...there wasn't much to  
assume. Endymion had been sent to Heaven- he must have belonged there, right?  
  
"Look! Up ahead! I see him now!"  
  
"Oh my God..."  
  
"Shh! Don't say that!"  
  
"Okay, oh God..."  
  
Endymion shifted the gun in his hands. "I didn't know you guys had these up  
here."   
  
Kunzite gasped. "You FOOL! Where did you get that?"  
  
Zoisite blinked. "He's going to corrupt Heaven." He threw his hands up in the  
air. "Okay! There goes the afterlife, down the toilet. Bye bye!" He made a  
circling notion with his fingers to indicate the flushing of a toilet.  
  
Nephrite grimaced. "Pretty soon there may not BE a Heaven to corrupt.."  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	3. Discovery And Quests

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (meaning all you little kids who want to read this you have been   
warned!!)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, it won't be long since you've already read it. WE DON'T   
OWN SAILOR MOON! Also, if you're a person who is offended by this for   
religious reasons, please check the disclaimer and author notes on the first   
chapter. Thanks! ^.^  
  
Author Notes: Yes! The next chapter is finally completed! Woohoo. So what   
took so long? Well, there is a perfectly good reason for what happened. You   
see, Stara had the next chapter done and finished and it was really good,   
but then her evil computer deleted it and her backup disk complained that   
the file couldn't be read. So she had to retype it. So it SUCKS, but just   
remember it WAS good. The next chapter will be loads better I promise.   
Nata's chapter makes up for it though, you should find it rather humorous.   
And in the next chapter they meet! ^.^ For all of you who have been waiting.   
Also, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!! Everytime we get one we start dancing   
around and stuff, it's kinda funny. Our parents roll their eyes at us. Um,   
we're e-mailing people now when we update, if you want us to e-mail you too   
then just leave your e-mail in a review. Remember, you can review more than   
once! :) Love you guys.  
  
/'s indicate char. thoughs  
  
  
Chapter 2- Discovery and Quests  
  
  
Silence. It blanketed the room in soft folds and coveted the two people who   
sat in it eating dinner.  
  
Lucifer couldn't stand the quiet anymore, it was driving him mad. He set   
down his fork and looked across the table at the woman accompanying him.   
"What's wrong?" He allowed his hand to clasp onto hers and caress it gently.   
She winced.  
  
"Nothing." she whispered softly, wriggling her hand free, resuming to eat   
her meal. He shook his head and just watched her, no longer hungry, trying   
to shake off the feeling that something had gone terribly wrong. The evening   
was perfect, Serenity and him had been able to eat a meal alone, something   
that wasn't very common as they were usually entertaining a vampire or some   
other demon-like creature, and had chosen to sup in their bedroom. Yes, it   
would have been perfect, if only this feeling of negativity hadn't been   
emminating from her the entire night.  
  
When they had finished eating, and all the trays cleared, Serenity quickly   
unlaced her gown with practiced hands and climbed beneath the sheets.   
Lucifer followed and after a few moments he kissed her neck affectionatly.   
Cringing she turned away from him, closing her eyes and preparing herself   
for retaliation.  
  
"What is this?" he hissed slightly through his teeth, his amber eyes   
flashing. It wasn't her refusal of the intimate act that angered him, but   
the refusal of his gaze, of his voice, of his love.  
  
"Nothing, I'm just tired. I didn't sleep much last night." she tried to keep   
her voice steady as she choked out the words.  
  
"Like hell you are!" He grabbed onto her shoulder trying to get her to face   
him, but all she did was jump from the bed, sheets wrapped around her, and   
sink to the floor.  
  
"Don't touch me you MONSTER!" shrieking she glared at him defiantly, as if   
daring him to say or do anything. He went quiet, questions filling his eyes,   
as he walked over to her. She couldn't see his expression, her eyes were too   
clouded with tears and she held up her hands in defense of the blow that she   
was sure she would recieve for her outburst.  
  
The footsteps stopped.  
  
She heard a thump to her side and she wiped her eyes, turning to see that he   
was sitting there, his eyes set on the floor, and his body shaking. His   
hands were gripping onto some linen that had fallen off of the bed, and his   
knuckles had gone white as he shook uncontrollably. He looked up at her.  
  
He was crying.  
  
A woman crying is disheartening, but it's graceful and normal. Watching a   
man cry will make you cry too. His nose was read and his eyes were glazed   
over with tears that he wiped away quickly before they could be shed. She   
gasped slightly and felt the need to hold him, cradle him, but then the   
shock of what she knew returned to her. She sat there looking at him.  
  
"You thought I would hit you?" he said hoarsly, watching her let her hands,   
that had been acting like a shield, fall to her side. "What have I ever done   
to make you think that?"  
  
She choked, tears coming to her eyes.  
  
"I...I went into the garden you made for me, looking for something to   
paint.." she trailed off, not sure if continuing would make things worse.   
No, she had to tell him, so that...so that what? "Well, I wanted a new and   
interesting subject so I went outside the gate-"  
  
He sucked in his breath.  
  
"-and suddenly I heard a child screaming. I followed the sound and was   
mortified at the site before me." she paused a minute, pain filling her eyes   
as she recalled the scene. "A child no more than six was standing there   
crying as one of these demons whipped it mercilessly. I saw you, you were   
standing by, laughing maliciously as if the scene before you was amusing.   
How could you be so cruel?" He closed his eyes, his face distorting in pain,   
before he rose from the ground.  
  
"I always knew that you didn't belong here, Serenity. From the first time I   
laid eyes on you, I knew, there had been a mistake. I didn't care though,   
because I was happy to be with you. I don't know why, but for some odd   
reason I needed you, Serenity. Maybe it was the fact that you contrast with   
me so well, I'm not sure. I don't question gifts when they're given to   
me..." He stood up and grabbed a pair of jeans from his dresser before   
slipping them on. She looked on at him, unshed tears clouding her vision, as   
he opened the door and made to exit. "I will organize a way for you to leave   
for awhile, to help figure out your thoughts."  
  
"Thank you.." whispering, she stood, and began to pull things out of her   
dresser, covering her body with her robe.  
  
"And Serenity..." she turned to face him. "That child, no matter how   
innocent it looks, belongs here. It stabbed it's younger sibling with a   
knife repeatedly. This IS Hell you know and I AM the Devil. People don't   
come down here to be treated nice or to be pampered. This is my job. I was   
forced into this world. I can't help you clear your mind of your ignorance   
to what this place really is. I've sheltered you from all that, because I   
knew it would destroy you. Now, you know. You're in Hell." he walked out the   
door. She stood there a minute, looking at the closed door wanting to cry   
out to him. She wanted him to hold her, she wanted him to be with her.  
  
Or did she?  
  
Lucifer's footsteps echoed throughout the corridors as he made his way to   
the tall, stone doors. He allowed his face to remain hard, cold, and cynical   
as he tried not to show the emotions that were eating away at his heart. She   
wanted nothing to do with him, ever. He sighed, debating whether or not to   
knock on the doors before him. 'They could be changing...' he thought before   
shrugging and walking inside.  
  
Not like they had modesty anyway.  
  
The scene before him almost made him smile. Almost. Four girls, all   
chattering away to one another, were sprawled across the room, doing   
different things. One girl, with light, blonde hair blinked and smiled when   
she saw him enter.  
  
"He has returned." she said laughingly, wrapping her arms around him waist   
and pressing her body against his. Now, demons are very sexual creatures,   
expescially Lucifer, and the fact that she was only wearing jeans and her   
bra wasn't helping him very much either. He sucked in his breath, trying to   
clear his mind of the thoughts that were sneaking into it, so that he would   
be able to concentrate on the task at hand. She laughed at his reaction.   
"Well, I least I know we can still affect you some." she winked. Gods, could   
they affect him.  
  
"Ah, so he's finally returned after three years of ignoring us." a   
raven-haired beauty with violet eyes said, as she tried to decide wether she   
wanted to wear leather pants or a leather skirt with her red, tube top.   
Golden hoops dangled from each ear and a long gold chain well down to the   
area between her breasts. It was supposed to draw attention to them. It   
worked, he noted mentally slapping himself. "Finally grow tired of the pure   
one?"  
  
"Oh puh-lease. How could he EVER tire of HER?" a brunette tossed her hair   
back and set down the brush she had been using to tame it. Her halter helped   
show off her large bust and the short mini she had chosen accented her long   
legs perfectly. "He would never drop her like he did us."  
  
"I know, just one day pop!" a blue-haired girl snapped her fingers. "He's   
tired of us, just like that." she sighed, standing up and stretching,   
allowing her to shirt to ride up and show off her perfectly flat stomach.   
Finally, he burst out laughing at their antics.  
  
"I'm not sure how I was able to stay away from you four for so long." He   
shook his head at them, entering the room completely and sat down on a   
chair. Immeadiatly they all raced forward and three of them groaned in   
dismay. Rei, the rave-haired girl, had won the race. She basked in her prize   
as she wrapped her arms about his neck, and made herself comfortable on his   
lap.  
  
He laughed again.  
  
"So, is there a reason you came to see us?" Minako, the blonde, asked   
annoyed. She wanted this to be quick so that Rei would get off of him.  
  
"Oh yes, sorry. I always seem to lose my mind when I'm around you guys. I   
wonder why that is..." he trailed off winking at them. "I'm sending Serenity   
on a quest and I need one of you to supervise her, you know, make sure she   
does what she's supposed to." They all shook their heads in unison.  
  
"No way am I becoming friends with her. That bitch stole you from us!"   
Makoto, the busty brunette, yelled, turning away from him arrogantly. He   
winced at the name she used to describe Serenity.  
  
"I don't want you to be friends with her. God knows I don't want you   
corrupting her in any way." They laughed at that. "I just want you to watch   
her. I don't want her to know that you're there."  
  
"Which one of us are you going to choose?" Ami, the blue-haired girl, asked   
quietly, crossing her arms.  
  
"I'm not sure yet. I'll call you to my chambers and let you know." They   
smiled at that one and all winked at him playfully. How could he ever stay   
in a bad mood while around them?  
  
"What's her mission?" Rei raised her eyebrows as she got off of him so he   
could stand. He stood and strolled over to the door before pausing a minute   
and turning to look at them as he began to walk out the door. He shook his   
head and began walking out again, saying it nonchalantly over his   
shoulder...  
  
"To kill a guardien angel..."  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
/F*ck them! F*ck all of them! Stupid quest…/  
  
Endymion radiated fury as he stormed down the halls of the Heavenly Palace, making sure to knock over a few stained glass vases and kicked up the rug a bit, so that others might trip over it.   
  
/Damn them all to hell!/  
  
/Oh….wait, that's not possible…well, damn them anyway!/  
  
He scowled. Great. Now he had to go BACK to Earth, the ONE place he'd just as rather never see again. Even Hell would have been better than that stupid boring planet where everyone hated him. To Endymion, Earth WAS Hell. People on Earth were miserable creatures who only cared about themselves and their money. He had never considered himself one of them, even at the bitter end.   
  
A fracture of a flashback filled his mind momentarily. IV's and tubes sticking out of his arms, his nose, his throat…the slow but steady increasing sound of the beep on the heart monitor…the chilled feeling in the pit of his stomach as he fought for conciousness….  
  
No. He gritted his teeth and swung his fist at an unusually intricate piece. They hadn't cared then, and they wouldn't care now. Damn them!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"You found a LOOPHOLE?" Jadeite asked incredulously.  
  
Beryl nodded, an inward smile curling up upon her calm disposition. She glanced down at the chart she held. "Apparently, they thought of everything- or, ALMOST everything, when they came up with the system. A few glitches here and there, but for the most part we're happy with it."  
  
Zoisite blinked. "But what kind of quest do you send an angel on?"  
  
"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings," Nephrite sang in a very high pitched voice.  
  
Beryl shot him a dirty look. "Okay, YOU'RE the one who asked me to find a way to get rid of him. I'm doing my best, okay!" And I'm not getting paid enough to boot, she added silently.  
  
Trying to head off any quarreling, Kunzite quickly asked, "What will he be required to do?"  
  
This time she had to bite her lip to keep from showing any signs of amusement. "Yes, well, that's the kicker. Word is that the Big Man Upstairs knows something….Lucifer's planning another spur-of-the-moment attack on Heaven, I'm not sure. Whatever the case may be, he's sending out a demon to assasinate a guardian angel. Endymion's mission would be to find this demon, stop him, and do one good deed along the way."  
  
There was a pause. All four saints burst out laughing.  
  
"Exactly my point."   
  
"Him? GOOD? HA! That's a laugh!"  
  
"Wait a second…and he can't come back until he's completed his mission-"  
  
"-which won't happen-"  
  
"-on Earth?" Another pause. "YES!!!" They started running around in circles and dancing, chanting "The Demon is leaving!"  
  
"Actually…that's the fine print," Beryl began uncertainly. She coughed and added quickly, "Oneofyouhastogowithhim."  
  
"We're fr- what?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Zoisite...we need to talk," Beryl started.  
  
"Do you know how many times I heard that in high school?"  
  
  
~ 1 Minute Later~  
  
  
"Oh no! I'm SO not doing this!"  
  
Beryl nodded. "I understand. But this is important! You know what he's like! If he were to just walk around the planet unsupervised, total chaos would ensue! He'd start a World War III! We need someone to go along, and just keep him from screwing up anything more than he already has."  
  
"But why does it have to be mee?" Zoisite whined.  
  
"Because....just because. God asked for you. He said you were special."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"Okay!" She threw her hands up in the air. "None of the others would do it! And you're the last person! Please, Zoisite! You have to! All you have to do is accompany him to Earth, and keep an eye on him. He won't know you're there, so he can't torment you about your girly hair-"  
  
This provoked a glare.  
  
"-and anyway, it's for the benefit of human kind. Please?!"   
  
zoisite folded his arms over his chest. "You can't talk me into this..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I can't believe she talked me into this..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	4. The Trouble with Blueberry Muffins

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (meaning all you little kids who want to read this you have been   
warned!!)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, it won't be long since you've already read it. WE DON'T   
OWN SAILOR MOON! Also, if you're a person who is offended by this for   
religious reasons, please check the disclaimer and author notes on the first   
chapter. Thanks! ^.^  
  
Author Notes: Ah, so we've had some questions as well as some complaints.   
Okay, here we will address them.  
  
What is with Lucifer and Serenity? That's so stupid!: We know! This is just   
set up TEMPORARILY for plot purposes!!! Don't worry about it.  
  
Hello! Beryl is EVIL and so are the generals. Why the hell are they angels?   
And what about the scouts being demons?: *laughs* Listen to what you just   
said, don't you get it? We're doing that on PURPOSE. You see we made it so   
that all the "good" people were in hell and all the "bad" people were in   
heaven just to make it funny. See? See? HAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Any more questions? They will be answered! Promise. *do a peace sign* Um,   
also, none of you like us enough to put us on your fav. author's list?   
*cries*  
  
  
Chapter 3-The Trouble with Blueberry Muffins  
  
  
Lucifer watched solemnly, his face devoid of emotion, as she walked up to   
the platform. Yes, today she would leave for Earth...and he would probably   
never see her again. He shook his head. Damn it.  
  
Damn it all to Hell.  
  
Standing on the platform she looked at her surroundings one more time,   
trying to figure out whether or not she would miss them. No, she wouldn't   
miss this place, only him. She shook her head and waited for the steam to   
rise. The only way to get back to the surface was to wait for the pressure   
of the steam to build up, that was eminating from a nearby smouldering pit   
of lava, until it exploded and pushed the platform she was standing on to   
the surface. Suddenly she flet a lightness under her feet and she gasped,   
falling to her knees. Looking upwards she saw the looming ceiling covered   
with stalactites looming ever closer. A world shattering scream pierced   
through the air and then there was nothing but darkness.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Three months. She had been on this f*cking planet for three months and   
already she was sick of it! Taking a long sip of her french vanilla   
cappucino Rei glared at a petite, blonde who was walking down the sidewalk   
in front of her. Stopping to buy a copy of the paper she quickly counted out   
her money while trying to keep an eye of the girl at the same time. She   
dropped a quarter and bent down to pick it up, before realizing that the   
girl was gone. Shit! Why had she let Lucifer talk her into this? He WOULD   
choose HER to watch over the "pure" one. Her eyes glazed over a minute as   
her mind reeled with flashbacks. Wait, was someone calling her? She blinked.  
  
"Miss? Miss? Hello, miss are you okay?" She shook her head, looking at the   
poor vendor who had been trying to get her attention for a few minutes.   
"Here's your change." she looked blankly at her open palm as he placed the   
money in it and returned to other customers.  
  
"Thank you." she mumbled quickly, grabbing her paper and cappucino before   
hurrying off. She rolled her eyes as she heard a crash of thunder. Great,   
rain. Where could that girl have gone?  
  
Unbeknowest to her, someone else was looking for the blonde as well. Three   
someone else's actually...  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Minako laughed, her eyes twinkling as she wrapped a few golden strands of   
her hair around her finger absently. Yes, plan D was being executed   
perfectly. She checked her watch, 7:20. She still had ten minutes to flirt   
with the hot stud in front of her before she had to look around for Serenity   
now known as Usagi.  
  
"So, Minako, you like clubs?" the blonde in front of her asked curiously,   
raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I love clubs, Motoki." she smiled, looking up at him through her lashes. He   
gulped and they exchanged phone numbers before she waved bye to him and   
hurried off down the street.  
  
Plan Date, a.k.a. Plan D, proves its worth once again!  
  
She smiled widely, an extra bounce in her step as she hurried down the   
streets of Tokyo, looking for her blonde charge. She saw a flash of   
lightening, but shook it off. She was even in too good of a mood to   
complain. She loved earth, and had been thrilled when Lucifer had asked her   
to go. Getting treated and taken on dates was not something she was able to   
do it Hell and also something she had not wanted to give up. Twenty-one was   
way to young of an age to die, she thought sadly. She was glad Lucifer had   
let her come back the same age as she had been when she had died, why waste   
a single day of being back on Earth? She cursed as memories of her death   
flooded back to her.  
  
It had been a pretty cliche scenario, she thought coldly. Having been   
irresponsible back then she and her three friends had been out partying with   
their "goody" boyfriends that night. She smiled. They had nicknamed the four   
guys the "goodies" because they wouldn't try a lot of the things the girls   
were into. Drugs, cigarretes, liquor, she had done it all. The girls had   
gotten insanely drunk that night, but insisted on driving home claiming that   
they were okay.  
  
The four men would never forgive themselves for listening to them.  
  
They had driven home in seperate cars, the guys in one, the girls in   
another. It was raining and the roads were slippery. Makoto hadn't been able   
to keep control of the car. They swerved and wound up ramming into their   
"goodies"'s car as well, all eight dying instantly. She shook her head,   
tears coming to her eyes.  
  
She had killed her goody, her Kunzite.  
  
She wasn't about to throw this life away like she had the last one. Taking a   
deep breath and wiping away the tears before they fell she hurried towards a   
cornor, where she saw a young, blonde crossing the street.  
  
Jackpot.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Wiping some sweat off her forehead, Makoto turned off her radio that had   
been blaring at its highest volume. A workout was just what she had needed.   
She stretched, feeling rejuvenated, and checked the clock to make sure she   
had enough time to take a shower. It was 8:30, she still had an hour before   
she had to clock in at work.  
  
Applying for a job at Usagi's company had been a stroke of genius. She could   
sleep in, work out, and still keep an eye on the girl for basically the   
whole day. She hopped into the shower and let the warm water pound out all   
the knots that long, hard days at work had built into her shoulders and   
back.  
  
Coming back to Earth had been so easy for her. When Lucifer asked her to go   
her feelings were really undecided. She hadn't particularly loved Earth or   
Hell or hated them either. Now, though, she finally starting to accomplish   
things. Her first life had been filled mostly with foolishness and things   
that she didn't want to stir up and remember. Back when she was 14 she had   
these great ambitions about becoming a chef and owning her own bakery and   
flower shop. She smiled in rememberance as she lathered the herbal shampoo   
into her hair. How she had loved baking! But when she turned 16 she had   
moved to a new area and had starting hanging out with this girl called   
Minako. The girl had confidence and attracted many people to be her   
followers, but she kept only three girls close to her. Makoto had been lucky   
enough to be one of those girls.  
  
"Lucky." she snorted in sarcasm as she turned off the shower and began to   
dry off. They had still hung out, even after death. The four of them, always   
the four of them. Yeah, maybe she had been lucky to get such great friends,   
even if they had steered each other down the wrong path. Well, she sure as   
hell was going to screw up her second chance at life, even if she did have   
to follows Usagi around throughout most of it. Looking at the clock one more   
time, her eyes widened. How could she have been in the shower that long?!  
  
The clock read 9:10 as it began to pour out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Ami tilted her head slightly, looking around the thick book she was reading,   
at a girl who was entering a nearby bakery. She shook her head. Did that   
girl EVER think about anything but food? Holding up her umbrella   
protectively from the enslaught of raindrops she pushed her glasses up her   
nose a little more and leaned back in her chair. The setup had been working   
out for her quite nicely.  
  
Each morning she woke up at exactly 4 a.m. and took a nice jog around the   
nearby park. After her job she would take a shower, grab a sandwhich, and   
head to the nearby library for a few hours and absorb herself in new   
philosophy books that she had begun to take an interest in. Brining a couple   
books with her, she would stop at a cornor cafe and wait for Usagi to arrive   
around. Usagi was always a couple minutes late, but then again, she lived on   
the other side of Tokyo. Ami easily followed her from there until she   
entered her work building and Ami set off for her own job, across the   
street.  
  
Yes, things went like clockwork, just like she liked it.  
  
Setting down her empty coffee mug, she grabbed her briefcase as she saw   
Usagi emerge from the bakery looking a bit perturbed. She raised an eyebrow   
at that but shook it off as she followed the girl on her morning routine. 'I   
wonder how the girls are doing...' Woah! Where had THAT come from? She   
sighed and shook her head. She had promised herself not to think about them   
too much now that she was back on Earth. They had been so close, but they   
had made some bad choices and she didn't want to relive past mistakes. She   
did miss their late night gossip sessions though...She smiled at that. No   
one would have thought that SHE of all people who miss their gossiping. Just   
because she wore glasses, was smart, and unusually sensible didn't mean she   
couldn't enjoy a gab fest.  
  
Gods, she hated stereotypes.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Usagi threw her hands up in frustration as the portfolio holding her   
sketches slid down the stairs, scattering her designs to the wind. Mumbling   
none to friendly words she chased after the precious papers and sighed as   
she stuffed them backing into the black, leather case. Some of them were   
beyond repair.  
  
Today was going to be one of those days.  
  
Brushing off her chic, black, dress pants she cursed the day that she had   
decided to become a fashion designer. Fashion designing wasn't something she   
had chosen to do, it was just something that had come naturally to her. When   
she sat down with pencil and paper the sketches just seemed to flow from her   
hands into gorgeous masterpieces filled with vibrant colors and exotic   
materials. In her first month designing her clothes had become a major hit   
all over the world, and she already had built a major corporation with many   
designers beneath her.  
  
"Well, that's all over." she hissed as she quickly pushed her way through   
the crowded streets of downtown Tokyo. After her first few months of being   
here, Earth had already corrupted her innocent nature. She smiled at that.   
Funny, how Earth seemed to have done a better job of that than Hell had.  
  
Having been gone from Lucifer for a week had been murder for her system. She   
didn't really miss HIM as much as she missed the sex. Gods, she missed the   
sex. Being with him everynight for over two years had taken a toll on her   
sexual appetite and she always found herself needing a new fling to settle   
her cravings. It hadn't been hard though, guys were always more than willing   
to go out with her and it only took a week or so before she would call them   
to her room. After a few weeks she would get bored with her boytoys, and her   
sketches would become paler and less interesting. So, she'd get a new one.  
  
She'd only had four since coming back to Earth, so she wasn't varnishing her   
reputation TOO much. She rolled her eyes. But this month had been pure and   
utter Hell for her. She was taking some college classes on designing to help   
make her styles more consistent, and to learn about what other countries   
were into. This was all good and dandy, but it was cutting a major hole into   
her leisure time. This meant: no sex.  
  
Without that stress release her designs were slacking and becoming more and   
more...blah. She was failing miserably on the runway and many of her normal   
models were refusing jobs from her. The onyl place she WAS making money was   
from the designers under her, who were selling clothes under her label for   
up to five-hundred bucks a pop in department stores. She would have to make   
up for it with her new line.  
  
A car drove passed quickly and splashed water all over her clothes. She   
closed her eyes and stood there, fuming as she wiped futily at her new   
pants. Of COURSE karma couldn't even come up with a less cliche thing to do   
to her!! How could it POSSIBLY get ANY worse? She covered her mouth after   
saying it, knowing that as soon as she uttered it, something worse would   
happen. Something did.  
  
It began to rain.  
  
"NO! WHY ME?!" She shrieked running down the sidewalk, her portfolio tucked   
protectively beneath her shirt. Sanctuary, she needed sanctuary! And then   
she saw it, a bakery! Throwing open the door to her new found haven she   
sniffed the air in anticipation.  
  
Muffins.  
  
Yes, muffins would make her day better. But, she didn't want just ONE kind   
of muffin, she wanted a blueberry muffin. Licking her lips in anticipation   
she blushed as she noticed the not to few stares she was getting from men   
who were standing around in the bakery. She brushed them off and took the   
black portfolio out from it's place beneath her now soaked, white shirt   
before walking up to the counter, next to a rather sexy dark-haired man.   
What? She was sex deprived!  
  
"One blueberry muffin please."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Endymion stood on the bridge, refusing to look anyone in the eye. He crossed  
his arms over his chest and glared at area where the sun would rise in just  
a few minutes.  
  
Beryl checked her watch again. "Two more minutes."  
  
Both Zoisite and Endymion shot her dirty glares. Endymion was pissed at   
everyone in general, and Zoisite was berating himself for getting conned into  
this mission. Neither was very happy about their reassignment to Earth.  
  
"Oh, cheer up, boys," Beryl said with a smile. "Earth wasn't that bad, now was  
it?"  
  
The saint rolled his eyes and turned to face the rays of sunlight peeking up  
from the horizon. "So what exactly are we supposed to do again?" He shielded   
his eyes from the now glarring light.  
  
Beryl removed a pair of sunglasses and put them on. "It's easy. As soon as   
the sun finishes rising, you jump off the dock and just let yourself fall.   
We're positioned right over the Tokyo Cathedral*, so you should end up in that  
general vicinity."  
  
Zoisite gulped as he looked down. "W-we have to jump?"  
  
Beryl nodded. "You won't get hurt or anything...in fact, that's the thing that  
most people seem to have trouble with. Just let yourself go..." she indicated  
this with a wave of her hand, causing the saint to sway on the dock before he   
steadied himself. She continued, "We have these little portals all around the   
Earth, in specific locations. It just so happens that the very center is Tokyo   
itself. Quite convinient for you, eh, Endy?"  
  
Endymion gave her the bird.  
  
It was all poor Zoisite could do to keep Beryl, God's right hand man, from   
throwing herself at Endymion's form, for angels possess strength and agility  
far beyond that of normal humans, and could quite easily have thrown him off  
the dock, causing Endymion to drift around through various time periods and   
places. Which, as it was, didn't seem like such a bad idea to Zoisite now...  
  
"Don't PROTECT me, you gay wussy!"  
  
Zoisite released Beryl. "Knock him six ways from Sunday."  
  
Beryl charged at Endymion, but accidentally knocked Zoisite as well, causing   
the three of them to totter around a bit, frantically looking for something   
to grab onto as the dock swayed unsteadily.  
  
"Oh shi-"  
  
But he never got a chance to finish.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mamoru opened his eyes. Big mistake. The illumination from the surrounding   
flurescant lights nearly blinded him, and he shut them tight. A few moments   
later, he slowly opened them again, allowing his eyes to gradually get used   
to the brightness.  
  
His surroundings seemed...familiar. He couldn't quite put his finger on why,   
or just how, but they stirred memories in him that were begining to surface.   
A lot of memories. Different memories.   
  
He sat up quickly, but this was another faux pas. Something was connected to   
him, holding him back, pulling on his wrists. He looked down at the wires   
around his wrist, monitoring his pulse. He lay back down again.  
  
Wait. IV tubes? Bed? MAMORU?!  
  
He threw a desparate glance around the room. Medical charts at the foot of his   
bed, heart monitors to the side, and a pristine white curtain around it all.   
Behind it he could hear the muffled sounds of phones, voices, and footsteps.   
What the hell?  
  
And why was he...Mamoru? He was Endymion...wasn't he?  
  
Mam...Endymion searched his mind. He could still remember Heaven, the guardian   
angels...the works. But he also had a separate, distinct memory. It was like   
perusing through a stack of files of someone else's brain...except they weren't   
there. He was Endymion, but he was also Mamoru Chibi, age 23, born in Tokyo,   
Japan. And according to those "files"...this was Mamoru Chiba's body.  
  
He scanned the memory bank a bit more. Fuzzy, choppy details of flashing lights,   
screeching tires, and a Porche the size of a damn elephant coming at him swirled   
through his mind. With this new information, Mamoru quickly did a mental check   
of his body. Nothing hurt, everything seemed to be in perfect order.  
  
Just then, a cheery nurse with red hair poked her head in the room. "You're awake!   
Great. Let me just do a quick check up, and you should be good to go. You're an   
extremely lucky young man, you know. Most people wouldn't have survived being hit   
by that car- but you, you don't have a scratch on you!" She shook her head and   
continued about her business.  
  
Mamoru settled back down onto the bed and tried to take this all in. The last   
thing he remembered was that psycho Beryl coming at him with a muderous glint in   
her eye before falling into sort of a flashing light...  
  
"OWW! DAMMIT!" Mamoru felt a jolting pain through his spine. He looked up to see   
the nurse with a guilty sort of hidden smile on her face and her finger resting   
on a button on the wall. "Oh, I'm sorry! I probably should have warned you about   
that before I raised the bed, shouldn't I?"  
  
He rubbed his back and scowled at her. She didn't seem that contrite.  
  
One of the doctors entered then. He glanced at his clipboard. "Chiba, Mamoru,   
correct? How are you feeling today?"  
  
Mamoru crossed his arms and folded them over his chest and didn't say anything.  
  
"Fine, fine, I see," the doctored chuckled to himself as he scribbled something   
down. "Well, Mr. Chiba, your test results show nothing's broken. You seem to be   
in fairly good shape. If you don't have any objections, well...we can release you  
before the day's out." He tucked a strand of his unusually long hair behind his   
ear. "In the meantime, just concentrate on resting up a bit. That's your mission."   
The doctor leaned against the wall, hitting a certain button with his shoulder.  
  
"AHH!" Mamoru yelled again as the hospital bed began to fold up on him. The doctor   
looked at his shoulder and grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Oops...heh heh...sorry about that....Nurse? Will you.."  
  
"Yes, doctor?"  
  
"..accompany me to lunch in the cafeteria?"  
  
"Why of course," she said cheerfully, and the two of them exchanged secret high   
fives and left Mamoru to deal with the effects of the fold-up bed, which   
threatened to take the life that the car had not.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
"M-r. Chiba? I-it's your breaktime. Mr. Chiba? Financial reports cannot be   
that interesting..."  
  
Mamoru looked up from his game of Minesweeper. Oh? They thought he was working   
again? Oh well. Might as well play along. He adjusted his glasses a bit and   
closed the the game window, and folded his hands carefully in front of him.   
"Break time?" he asked slowly, a frightening calmness in his voice.  
  
"Yes sir," the secretary said, her voice begining to fail her. Oh God, now   
her boss was angry again...  
  
"Excuse me, Miss Naru. At Chiba Industries for Advertising, we all try to work   
as a team, so that we can give our customers the best quality possible for   
their products. And in order to work as a functional and happy team, we all have   
to do our fair share of work. That means we cannot waste time dilly-dallying   
around on breaks all the time. Is that clear?"  
  
The poor girl's knees were shaking now. "Yes sir. So sorry, sir." With that, she  
dashed around the corner back to her desk, for fear that Mr. Chiba would think   
her not a team worker.  
  
Mamoru chuckled to himself. Yes, a man did have to keep himself amused in this   
world, and keeping his employees on their toes was a wonderful distraction.  
  
Not that there weren't enough "distractions" in life.  
  
"For a nervous little mouse of a girl, she does wear an awfully short skirt.."   
he allowed, an evil grin begining to spread across his face as devilish thoughts   
formed in his mind on just where he would like to see that skirt- probably   
somewhere bunched up in the corner of his room.  
  
Oh, wasn't it breaktime?  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Zoisite leaned against the wall on the corner of a cafe, his eyes intently watching the bakery across the street. It had begun to drizzle slightly, and when it began to pour, he moved into the shelter of a covered walkway. Rain bothered him. It carried too many memories. Memories he wanted to forget, but couldn't. Ami...the girls...the car and the smash of metal...  
  
He shook his head. Don't remember that. Remember something else. Ami liked rainy days, he couldn't help but recall. She liked to find a warm couch and read a thick book. He narrowed his eyes. Ami liked a lot of things. Some of them Zoisite didn't agree with. And somethings he would never forgive himself for letting her do...  
  
He snapped to attention. Across the street, in front of the bakery, he could have sworn that he saw a flash of silvery green behind a yellow raincoat. Zoisite shook his head. He just missed Kunzite, that was all. A slow smile replaced his former grim expression as he thought about his long-haired angel...who was truly an angel...  
  
Just then, Mamoru pushed open the doors to the bakery. Zoisite straightened up. Show time.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mamoru pulled the hood of his raincoat down, though his black mane had managed to get soaked anyway. But at least he had a raincoat. The poor girl next to him was soaked to the bone...in a thin white t-shirt....oh, interesting...  
  
Despite the tempting eye candy next to him, Mamoru turned his attention to the wonderful display case at the front of the bakery. Yes, that muffin was just calling his name... Most people would never have guessed Mr. Chiba, the daunting president of Chiba Industries of Advertising, had an incurable weakness for blueberry muffins, but...they were just so warm and delicious... He had to have one!  
  
"One blueberry muffin, please."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Author Notes:  
(1) Okay....I really don't know if this is a real cathedral or not, but....HEE!  
(2) In case some of you didn't catch it, this is Nurse Beryl and Dr. Zoisite...fun..  
(3) *giggles madly* CIA! Mamoru works for the CIA! 


	5. The Muffin Man

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (meaning all you little kids who want to read this you have been   
warned!!)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, it won't be long since you've already read it. WE DON'T   
OWN SAILOR MOON! Also, if you're a person who is offended by this for   
religious reasons, please check the disclaimer and author notes on the first   
chapter. Thanks! ^.^  
  
Ch. 4- The Muffin Man  
  
  
"I'll have a blueberry muffin, please."  
  
Mamoru panicked momentarily. Something inside him, probably one of those pesky possesive Cro-Magnon genes, grew extremely possesive and got his adrenaline pumping. That muffin was his, dammit!  
  
But slowly he relaxed. Everything was going to be okay. It wasn't as if this was the last blueberry muffin in existence. He could have his, and the other person could have theirs, too.  
  
But he was going to get the first one.  
  
The counter girl looked from one to the other, her face filled with mixed emotions as she tried to figure out which of the two people would be the most violent when angry. "Umm...I'm sorry, but there's only one blueberry muffin left..." She laughed nervously.  
  
Usagi blinked and turned to look at the man beside her. Her waist length blonde hair was stuck to her face and plastered to his thin frame. She shivered under her dirt-crusted slacks and once stylish white blouse that now resembled a wet t-shirt. 'My sketches have been ruined, my pants splashed with dirt, and I've been rained on. Now, the ONLY thing that can make my day, this blueberry muffin, is being stolen from me from this loser?! I DON'T THINK SO!!!' Her deep blue eyes falred with anger as she glared at him with an 'I-can-become-a-bitch-in-five-seconds-flat' stare. "That muffin is mine!" she hissed.  
  
Mamoru tossed his head and gave her a look that said "Girl please. Look what the cat dragged in." His earlier notations of her -ahem- disheveled clothing resurfaced, and he sized her up, letting his eyes stray over certain areas. "Excuse me," he said cooly, "but I was here first."  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Jaedite shivered and pulled her poncho closer around his shoulders. If there was one thing he HATED about Earth (and there were quite a few things, mind you), it was the weather. One minute it was sunny, the next the heavens opened up and it rained for forty days and forty nights. God had a funny sense of humor.  
  
He was also very ironic.  
  
So WHAT if Beryl has been stupid enough to fall off the platform and come to Earth? They didn't exactly call her "God's Grace" in a literal sense. But no. Beryl was "important". Hence Jaedite's mission: to bring her back. Oh, he had tried. He begged. he pleaded. He had even offered his soul (before receiving a VERY strict look). But in the end, there was no choice. Angels do what they are told.  
  
"You're getting off lucky," He had told him. "Your search is narrowed down to just Tokyo."  
  
One did not use the terms "just" and "Tokyo" in the same sentence.  
  
That was...well...that was a lot of people!!! And they just kept on MULTIPLYING! LIKE RABBITS![1]  
  
Just then, a woman from the second story of a building he was walking part opened her window and dumped a pail of water out onto the street, soaking Jaedite, despite his poncho. He might as well have gone and jumped into a lake, for all his day was going.  
  
"Oh, someone just shoo-" he stopped and covered his mouth. No telling what He might do in a bad mood.  
  
"Ooh, look! A bakery!"  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Never letting her glare waver from his face, she took her finger and poked him on the chest. "Let me tell you something Mr. I'm-wearing-a-suit-so-I-think-I'm-better-than-everyone, I have had a morning from hell and I'm not letting your cocky ass steal the one thing that will make my problems go away. That muffin is MINE!"   
  
Mamoru took a step forward, leaning in dangerously close, so that his nose was almost touching hers, his breath and musky scent in her face. "Listen, little girl. I will not play your games with you today. I am in a hurry, and I need that muffin now. I will not capitulate." He narrowed his eyes. He was now within centimeters of her.   
  
Usagi let a smile grace her full lips as she noticed the position they were in and she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Girl? Hm. Well, I must say that you and every other male in this bakery seems to be thinking of me as something a bit more than a mere girl." Standing on her tiptoes she leaned over to his ear, letting her lips barely brush it as she whispered, "Are you sure you don't want to play any.." she licked her lips, "games?"   
  
Mamoru took a half step back with a look of registered shock on his face, but only for a moment. It was soon replaced with confidence and a sense of determination. "I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," he sneered coldly. "I, for one, have seen better."   
  
Usagi rolled her eyes and set her portfolio down on the counter. "I'm sure, and I bet they're all willing to get into bed with you are they?" she raised an eyebrow, and placed her hands on her hips.  
  
His eyes flashed. Why was this silly girl competing against him?! Didn't she know she had already lost? "I have to admire your spirit," he added smoothly, "but the fact of the matter is you cannot win. I can out-talk, outsmart, out-think and most definitly out-sex you any day of the week. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a muffin to grab before my meeting."   
  
Something in her eyes finally snapped and her cheeks flushed red with anger. "You. Are. Not. Getting. That. Muffin." she said in a scarily calm voice that showed she was beyond yelling in her anger.  
  
Umino, closing his umbrella, raised an eyebrow at the aruging pair before approaching the counter. He looked at the fresh choices of muffins, cookies, and various danishes before resting his eyes on the blueberry muffin. "I'll take that muffin please."   
  
"Sure..." the counter lady looked over at Usagi and Mamoru before shrugging. It would be cold if she didn't sell the damn thing soon. And then maybe these two lunatics would geet out of her bakery. She quickly handed it to Umino, after taking his money, and he happily munched it down.  
  
"So...what're they fighting over?"  
  
"That muffin you're eating."   
  
Umino looked down at the muffin, and then at the blonde and dark-haired man before his eyes widened. 'Why me?' he looked up at the sky and prayed for safety.  
  
Mamoru matched her gaze. "I will have that muffin, or I will die trying." Dammit! Why was this girl so persistent? It wasn't the fact that she was challenging him that bothered him...it was her manner, her totally fearless and uninhibited spirit that stirred something within him...rage, anger...and a sense of respect.   
  
"Then get ready to be burrie-" she stopped suddenly and turned to look over at the glasses bedecked Umino, who was praying in the cornor. "What are you eating, UMINO?!"   
  
Umino sucked in a breath of air heavily, showing her the last bite of the blueberry muffin he had been consuming. "I'm sorry, Usagi, if I had known that you wanted it, I would've just given it to you! I swear!!!"   
  
Mamoru remained starring at her form for a second longer before breaking his glance to the pleading Umino. At first, nothing was written on his face. Just a blank slate. More frightening than the rage, the anger, the possesive desire for dominance. He had just eaten the muffin.   
  
HE MUST PAY!!!!!!!!!!!   
  
Usagi's eyes widened and she looked at the few crumbs of what would have been her final salvation and tears started coming to her eyes as she felt the world closing in on her. She was wet, cold, dirty, AND muffinless. Grabbing her portfolio she should there for a moment, looking at the ground, and sighed heavily.   
  
Umino, realizing that he might want to leave in fear of getting hurt, he quickly ran out the door, leaving his closed umbrella behind him.   
  
A figure in a yellow raincoat bumped into Umino on his way out, knocking the umbrella to the ground. "My apologies," he said as he leaned down to pick up the umbrella, a strand of his sea green hair slipping out from the hood and falling into his face. He brushed it away and held out the umbrella to the shaking boy.   
  
Reaching out for the umbrella, he spat our a nervous thank you, before continuing his mad dash down the street.  
  
Mamoru turned his gaze back to the door to the bakery. That creep was getting away! With their muffin! He couldn't DO that! Mamoru was an executive!   
  
Usagi closed her eyes, fighting back tears, and grabbed a few napkins from the counter. Quickly, she wiped herself off before disposing of them and throwing them into the nearest waste basket. She turned to Mamoru, a sarcastic grin on her face, "It's been fun bantering with you, but I'm afraid I have an important meeting at an advertising company in half an hour. Hope never to see you again!" she winked before stalking out the door, portfolio in hand.   
  
As this bakery was turning out to be quite a popular spot, another person entered the bakery on her way out. He nodded politely in her direction. This one was also cloaked in a trench coat, with dark sunglasses covering his face. He turned to face the now-silent crowd in the bakery. "Okay, listen up, this'll just take a second."  
  
Some little idiot in the back of the story (who just happened to be named Treize Khushrenada[2]) shouted "It's a hold up!" Massive panic ensued as everyone in the bakery minus Mr. Trench Coat, Mr. Rain Coat, and Mamoru hit the floor. People began tossing their purses and wallets in his direction, and the girl behind the counter began frantically dumping out the contents of the cash register onto the counter. "Take it! Just don't shoot us!" she wailed.  
  
Zoisite looked down at the fearful masses at his feet. "I-I just wanted a biscotti..." he let his trembling voice trail off.  
  
"Look!" Someone pointed at the man in the raincoat and Mamoru. "They're still standing- he's got back up!!!"  
  
The man in the raincoat waved his hands in the air. "No no no! This is a misunderstanding! I'm-"  
  
"No time, dudes. RUN!" Mamoru yelled and grabbed their arms and pushed them towards the door. They had to get out- fast.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Ami sighed as she crossed the street, her mind focused on the book she was reading, and didn't see the three men barreling up to her. Suddenly, someone ran into her full force, causing her philosophy book, umbrella, and glasses to follow her to the ground. She blinked, all thought leaving her for a second before blushing. "Sorry, I was so caught up in my book that I wasn't watching where I was going.." She smiled before finally looking up at the person who had hit her. "The rain often does that to me."  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
Motoki raised an eyebrow as he saw Mamoru dashing down the stree, a man in a raincoat at his heels. Curious, he opened the door to the arcade and motioned for the dark-haired man and his companion to enter. "Hey Mamoru! In here." Closing the door behind them, he blinked once before looking inquiringly at Mamoru. "Good thing I haven't opened yet," he said in an all-too cheery voice.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Zoisite cast a frantic glance behind him, searching for his would-be pursuers. So far, he hadn't caught sight of them, but that didn't mean that they weren't far behind. His thoughts were interupted when something hit him, or rather, when he ran into something. At first, the desperation and fear combined with this blow stunned him, and he was at a loss for words. He looked up, startled to see a young woman with indigo hair and bright blue eyes. Suddenly, a cold feeling pulsated from the center of his body and through his veins, like a freezing fire. Zoisite couldn't explain it, nor could he convince his limbs or mouth to work, so he just stood there.  
  
"I'm sorry, I was so caught up in my book that I wasn't watching where I was going. The rain often does that to me." She smiled.  
  
After a minute of his staring, she began to look uncomfortable and shifted from foot to foot. He blinked and began to blush. "I'm so sorry; it was completely my fault," he blurted out quickly and leaned down to retrieve her dropped items. As he handed her the umbrella, he couldn't help but ask, "I'm sorry, but you just look so familiar, though I can't put my finger on why. Have we met before?"  
  
She shook her head slowly. "No, I don't think so...perhaps it was in a past life, eh?" She laughed.  
  
"Well, just the same, I'm terribly apologetic. And I'm afraid I've ruined your book." He held out the soggy philosophy book with a sheepish look on his face. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"  
  
She looked at the book and took it into her hands. She laughed. "Oh, don't worry about the book, it's old anyway." She checked her watch and bit her bottom lip as she tried to decided what to do. Usagi would be almost at work by now, and needed to be followed, but this guy look so familiar...   
  
No. Work before play. "I really wish I could, but I'm already late for work. Here let me just.." She quickly scribbled something down on a piece of paper and placed it in his palm. There was an opening in the traffic and she ran across the street, umbrella up, calling over her shoulder, "See ya around, Trenchcoat Man!"k  
  
He opened hand hand and quickly read the paper, nearly dropping it in shock.  
  
Ami Mizuno 579-6493  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Mamoru scowled. "Funny how you always seem to be around when this shit happens."  
  
Motoki raised his hands in defense. "To be perfectly honest, Mamoru, I still haven't quite figured out why you enjoy running around in the rain with green-haired men in slickers, but hey, if you're kinky, I don't have a prob-"  
  
The man in the raincoat stepped forward. "Excuse me," he said, "but how do you know what color my hair is?"  
  
Mamoru leaned against a barstool and tried to catch his breath. "Because it's all over the place." He pointed towards a mirror.  
  
Kunzite gasped and threw off the hood of his caot. "MY HAIR!!!" he cried, running up to the mirror to examine his locks. The glossy strands were windswept and unkempt. He desparatly raked his fingers through his scalp, trying to tame them.  
  
Motoki crossed his arms over his chest. "This might sound like a funny question, but who exactly are you running from?"  
  
Mamoru shrugged. "Some kook tried to hold up a bakery and everyone mistook us for his henchmen."  
  
"So you RAN?!"  
  
"Well, what the hell was I supposed to do?! Just stand there and let them arrest me? And after that scene she and I made..."  
  
Motoki raised an eyebrow. "She?"  
  
The dark-haired man rolled his eyes. "Some broad and me were fighting over this muffin and then this dude in a rain....wait a minute..." he spun around. "KUNZITE?!?!?"  
  
"-and to top it all off, then I use this pretty, nice-smelling gel and...what?" Kunzite looked up from his ramblings and blinked.  
  
"W-what are YOU doing here?"  
  
Kunzite took one last look in the mirror (for angels are very vain creatures, despite popular myth) and smoothed down his hair before doing an about face. He sniffed. "I was hungry."  
  
Motoki shook his head. "I'm lost..."  
  
Kunzite stuck out his hand. "And I'm Kunzite. Pleased to make your acquaintance."  
  
"You pick bad times for humor," Mamoru said tersely. He was still quite in shock at seeing the saint on Earth, and it perplexed him to no end, but he decided not to question it any further. He couldn't ask him now, for Motoki was present, and right now he had a business meeting to catch.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Zoisite slammed the door to his apartment- loudly. The baby next door started wailing.  
  
He didn't care.  
  
He stomped over to his bed and threw himself upon it, gripping the pillow and clutching it until his knuckles hurt. Anything to draw his mind from what was torturing him.  
  
"GOD!" he thundered into his linen. "Why me, God?" He rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling with tears in his eyes. "Why me?" he pleaded in a much softer voice, his bearings begining to return to him. Zoisite closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Is this my punishment? My goddamn eternal guilt? For letting her..." he choked, allowing his voice to trail off. "I didn't want to come here in the first place...to this...I wanted...to forget..."  
  
Tears trickled down his cheeks as the heart-broken angel cried himself to sleep.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
Usagi smiled as she entered the plush office of the top executive Mamoru Chiba. Her day had actually gotten a lot better since that morning. Naru, her best friend who worked as Mr. Chiba's secretary, had picked up her dry cleaning that morning. Fortunatly, Usagi and her were the same size, so she was able to borrow some of those clothes.  
  
Looking down at her open portfolio she walked over towards his office. "Good morning, Mr. Chiba," she said cheerfully. She felt amazingly refreshed now with a black pleated skirt and white sleeveless top. The skirt was a bit too short, she had sadly noted when putting it on, to look professional, but she was hoping it wasn't too bad. The black heels that she had been wearing with her pants matched the skirt perfectly. Her hair blowdried, she let it fall about her in golden waves. With her newly applied makeup, she felt presentable again as she looked up at the man she was going to be working with to promote her new fashion designs. "I think you'll find..." she trailed off, here eyes going wide.  
  
Mamoru Chiba was the muffin man.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Author Notes:  
[1] We here at Stara-and-Nataku Productions wish to express our non-association with this statement. The Japanese are an honorable people, and do not resemble rabits in any way...  
  
[2] We here at Stara-and-Nataku Productions really hate Treize Khushrenada. We're not sure why, we just do. If anyone decides to bomb a building or start a cult in our stories, it's likely to be him. Treize fans, please do not be offended, this is just eons of anti-Treize repression "getting purged." Besides- Tuxedo Mask can throw a rose MUCH cooler.  
  
Also, we would like to address a possibly-confusing issue in this lovely extra space. Usagi's character, originally innocent, naive, and angelic, is now "corrupted". How does this work? Well...you guys live on Earth! YOU know what it's like here! *laughs insanely* EARTH did what HELL could not!  
  
One last note: we do not "own" the CIA. Mamoru does. So THERE! 


	6. Meet the Female Characters

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: The forever crazy and non-criminally insane Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R-for language, sexual content, suggestive dialogue, violence, and whatever the hell we can come up with that you people think is controlversial. (Man, our story has it all!)  
  
Disclaimer: Heh, gosh, this one always seems to be the most entertaining for some reason...should I break the tradition and just make this a normal, boring disclaimer? Or should I continue his new tradition? Hm, well, I think I'm already beyond the point of no return when it comes to making this a normal disclaimer so I might as well keep you amused. Ah, writing down my random rambles for you mindless zombies to read is quite refreshing. Though I must say some of these effects are from the tons of Nyquil I have been force-fed by my parents, both of whom are nurses. (You might not believe me but I think my 36 year old father is the only man alive who could wear hot pink scrubs and not look the tiniest bit gay) Actually, they're both managers AND nurses so it's worse because they're control freaks too...CHEESE PUFFS! Sorry, that's the Nyquil talking not me. Anyways, we don't own Sailor Moon so, obviously, these characters aren't ours. We did make up this storyline though so if you steal it, we'll so your ass with our lovely tax lawyer of power! ^_~ (who I'm sure you've heard about before)  
  
Author Note: *laughs nervously* Okay, okay, I know you're going to hate us but we had to do this. You see, I, Stara, was sick for 4 days last week and was unable to work at all. *coughs* Nataku and I managed to get about half the chapter written in the 3 days that I attended school last week, which is incredible, but it's only half. We would cut it short and post it, but seriously I think that that would kill some of the quality. So, in case you're wondering what that means exactly, WE ARE NOT POSTING A CHAPTER THIS WEEK!!! Yes, that's right, our chapter is going to be a whole week late. Don't worry though, we promise a nice long one filled with juicy scenes between Usagi and Mamoru. Plus, I felt so guilty that I typed up this for you to keep you mildly amused for a few days...hope you enjoy!!!!  
  
  
Intermission 1-Meet the Characters: Females  
  
  
Name: Serenity/Tsukino Usagi  
  
Current Profession: Fashion designer. Having made a name for herself in the first month of being in the industry, she has already made millions. Her flowing designs and catchy colors have attracted buyers from all over the world. Her secret? It's easy really. Her creative mind works best after an invigorating session of sex. Lately she has been taking some extra classes to give her an edge, and between work and school she has no leisure time. Meaning, no sex. Her sketches and designs have suffered so greatly that she has had to turn to Mamoru Chiba's advertising agency to promote her designs.   
  
Mission: To kill a guardien angel. (I know this hasn't been explained much as of yet, but it will be in future chapters)  
  
Ambition: To be a successful fashion designer again, to leave behind all thoughts of Lucifer and her 3 years in Hell, and to prove that she is better than Mamoru.  
  
  
  
Name: Aino Minako  
  
Current Profession: Golddigger. (What? You're SURPRISED?!) Having a natural talent to woe the men, Minako discovered early on that she wouldn't have to work to be able to live the high life. Though she does regularly go to auditions, as being a golddigger is a temporary job, this doesn't make her any money. She does have morals though and refuses to have more than 5 boyfriends at a time, as she finds that just wrong.  
  
Mission: To make sure that the lovely Serenity fufills her mission, and to make sure she doesn't get hurt in the process. (Doesn't know the other three girls are on earth as well.)  
  
Ambition: To live her newest life to the fullest, by not wasting it on stupid choices like she did her last one. She also has a dream of becoming a star. Having always been a grouppie she now wants to break from the pack and hit it big.  
  
  
  
Name: Mizuno Ami  
  
Current Profession: Uknown. Yes, the predictable, perfect, clock-work Ami has a secret! No one knows what her job is! Not even we do. What is the cause of this exactly? Well, it could be a plot setup for future jokes, lack of inspiration, or mere laziness. You decide! ^_~ She does work across the street from Usagi though...if that helps any...  
  
Mission: To make sure that the lovely Serenity fufills her mission, and to make sure she doesn't get hurt in the process. (Doesn't know the other three girls are on earth as well.)  
  
Ambition: To get over her past life and love and to move on to become successful at her job. (which no one knows what it is)   
  
  
  
Name: Kino Makoto  
  
Current Profession: A model for Usagi's designs. (That's a nice twist isn't it? Would you believe I made this up as I was typing it? Just her...Ami I'm still coming up with..wait...oops..) Her heights and perfect curves come in handy for Usagi's designs. UT (Usagi Tsukino) clothes are known for their curvy models as they firmly do NOT believe in those skeletons that model on runways. Makoto is their main icon for this belief.  
  
Mission: To make sure that the lovely Serenity fufills her mission, and to make sure she doesn't get hurt in the process. (Doesn't know the other three girls are on earth as well.)  
  
Ambition: To own her own bakery and flower shop. She's using the money that she makes from modeling to put her through college that way she can start both businesses.  
  
  
Name: Hino Rei  
  
Current Profession: A psychic. (Oh the irony) Demons have certain abilities that humans are not born with (so do angels..) these include the enhancement of the senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, etc) and some mild psychic abilities. (they can see outlines and sketches) Psychic appear to be such a large and successful thing on earth, but the ironic thing is that Rei is failing miserably. No one likes her readings, eventhough they're the truth, and so she constantly has to resort to such things as growing her own food.  
  
Mission: To make sure that the lovely Serenity fufills her mission, and to make sure she doesn't get hurt in the process. (Doesn't know the other three girls are on earth as well.) (Repetitive aren't we?)  
  
Ambition: To help Usagi get her mission over with that way she can get the f*ck off of Earth already.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Heh. Heh. *sweatdrop* So what do you think of our leading ladies? Was it worth reading? Did you laugh at least once? Aren't you glad we tried to compensate even a little for our tardiness? *laughs nervously* Anyways, our next chapter will be up as soon as we finish it. PROMISE!!!  
Questions? Comments? Leave a review or e-mail us at SandyandSea@hotmail.com 


	7. Office Relationships Dues and Don'ts

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (Did you know this is the highest we can go now? Yes, all you   
hentai lovers will have to turn to us to fufill your "needs". *get odd looks   
on their face* *shudder*)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: We own Jack Squat. That should clear everything. (*a man in the   
audience stands up* "I'm Jack Squat...you own me?" *both blink and look at   
one another*)  
  
Author Notes: This chapter is dedicated to the people who lost their lives   
on September 11th. May we never forget them...  
  
Hm...well, we read your reviews (believe it or not) and many times   
too..(Probably we reread them every other day or so...sad isn't it?) So we   
want you to know that we hear you! ^_^ From now on we are going to apply a   
personal message to each and ever one of you people who review. (Yeah, you   
get your name in our story. All the more reason to review, right? *look   
hopeful*  
  
  
Chapter 6: Office Romance: Dues and Don'ts  
  
  
"Say, do you think that guy's straight?"  
  
Kunzite whipped his head around, his ears perked up.  
  
"Nah, look how long his hair is. And those boots! Ah! I would KILL for shoes like that! They're so in season! He must really know his clothes!"  
  
"You're right, my gaydar is so off today!"  
  
Kunzite's eyes grew wide and he ended up stumbling into a person in front of him. These Earthlings were strange...  
  
Curses. He wasn't sure HOW he had gotten talked into this, but   
for some odd reason unknown to him, he was at the mall.  
  
He glanced at his shopping list that Mamoru had provided him with. "Okay, first thing: normal clothes- hey! I like my clothes!"  
  
He turned the shopping list over. "In Rome, do as the Romans do."  
  
He gulped before taking a step into the store in front of him- a place he had feared most of his   
childhood. The Gap.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
If you have ever been at a Youth Group meeting, that was all girls, and then suddenly a hoarde of shirtless guys ran through the room screaming 'vagina' at the top of their lungs, you still would not be as surprised as Usagi Tsukino was at that moment.  
  
She stood there for a moment, staring at him disbelievingly, her eyes wide and jaw hanging slightly open.  
  
Mr. Chiba beckoned her into his office. "Good morn....ing...." he stopped, letting his eyes travel over her slender form.  
  
Mamoru shook his head. She looked familiar...now where had he seen her before? Oh well. Not to worry. If things went according to plan with this new business deal, he would get to know her.....get to know her VERY well.....  
  
She blinked, looking over at him to see if there was any recognition in his eyes, before shaking her head and walking forward. 'He will pay..' she silently seethed while putting on a pasted smile. "I hope that your advertising can do something for my new line." she handed him her   
portfolio. She new the designs were weak, the lack of sex was killing her.  
  
Mamoru took the folder, but instead of browsing through it, he set it to the side and folded his hands in front of him and winked at her. "Tell me about yourself, Miss Tsukino..." He had not failed to notice that oh-so-short skirt she was sporting....  
  
Closing her eyes, she clenched her fists at her side. What sick game was he playing?! Then it hit her. Hard. He didn't recognize her AT ALL. Not much of a surprise there, she had looked like a train wreck at that bakery. And now he was...he was...hitting on her? She smiled. Oh, yes.   
Revenge could be sweet. "Not much to know. I lived in Europe for a long time, but I moved here a couple months ago. I've hit it pretty big, but I still need a good advertising company. What about yourself?" She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear  
  
Mamoru leaned back in his chair and tilted his head down, looking up at her from the corner of his eyes. Yes, quite a nice view indeed.... He cleared his throat. "I am Mamoru Chiba, founder of Chiba Industries of Advertising. I know every hot spot in this city. You know...if   
you wanted, I could show you around some time."  
  
She crossed her legs seductively, trying to be obvious in her motives, and licked her lips offhandishly. "That sounds like fun. I don't get out much between work and school and I'm sure you know how to show a girl a good time." she winked.  
  
He ran his eyes up and down her legs, surprised at her reaction. Most chicks would have knocked him into next week for taking such liberties. Oh yeah. She was easy.  
  
"Well, I would most certainly like to take you up on that some time. Now, let me take a look at your sketches."  
  
Hmm..this would be harder than she thought. She stood up as he opened her sketches and walked behind his chair, leaning over and pointing to various things and explaining them. "I was thinking this should be in silk..."  
  
He put on his glasses and flipped through the designs in the folder. Good God, she SUCKED! But....ooh, was she leaning over him now? He looked up, pleased to see that he had a nice view.   
"My dear, what ARE your credentials?"  
  
She felt her face go slightly read at such a blunt statement. She knew her sketches were awful, but did he have to be so rude about it?! "If you don't want my business I'm sure that I can find another company with-"  
  
Hmm. Time for a tactful move. "But Miss Tsukino, why would you consider another advertising agency when you've found the right one here?" Okay, so it wasn't tact; it was strategy. But it was working. "I'm curious," he started, "as to what kind of work you've done before so that we can steer you in the right direction." He finished with a smile. So this one was different. She was a woman, but she wasn't going to be pushed around.  
  
She smiled again. "This is my first job. I went into a coma when I was seventeen so I haven't had much experience. Things just sort of flow onto the paper when I'm in the right MOOD." She emphasized the last word slightly, but not too much and then turned the page to a dazzling outfit. "I made this one a month ago."  
  
He frowned. "I'm terribly sorry to hear that." He flipped through some more. "I see what you mean. Look at some of these earlier sketches. They're fantastic! But I will be honest with you, as we progress, they seem to get....a bit dull. Is there any reason why for this   
transition?"  
  
She bit her bottom lip and sighed heavily. "Yes, it's lack of inspiration really. I haven't had much time to do anything between work and school, as I said before, so finding inspiration is difficult." She moved back to her chair across from him. "I'll just have to wait for the right   
guy...I mean SUBJECT!" she corrected herself quickly.  
  
Mamoru propped his head up with his elbow. "Perhaps you will find something here that will....inspire you," he said, allowing a small grin to cross his lips. "Well, Miss Tsukino, if you beleive you've found the right company, we are pleased to be working with you." He held out his hand for a handshake.  
  
Naru pulled her head from around the corner of the offic and raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen him offer a handshake before.." she whispered.  
  
She clasped his hand and shook it firmly, keeping eye contact, to assure him that he would not have complete control of this deal. "I look forward too working for you too." she picked up her portfolio and stuffed her sketches wrecklessly inside of it. She use could them as toilet   
paper, they were shit anyway.  
  
"Miss Tsukino, are you hungry? There is this wonderful little coffee shop just down the street from here, and I didn't get a chance to have breakfast this morning."  
  
Smiling wickedly she nodded graciously. "Oh, I'd love to. I swear I have the oddest hankering for a blueberry muffin..."  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Minako just stood there staring at him. He looked so damn familiar! Taking a sip of her latte she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and sauntered up to him confidently. He was looking into the Gap as if slightly defeated and she poked him to get his attention. "Excuse me, but do I know you?"  
  
Kunzite blinked in surprise. There were too many bright lights around, and the music playing in the background was far too cheery for such a grim place.... "Actually, I'm looking for...." he glanced at his list. Oh right. Excuse me. I'm an angel from Heaven whose not supposed to BE HERE in the first place, but I need some clothes so that I can pass as a normal human being among the masses in Tokyo. He looked around and spoted a pair of jeans in the far corner. Thinking that the young blonde in front of him was an employee, "Those," he said, pointing.  
  
What the poor saint failed to recognize was the sign behind them that read "Women's Jeans".  
  
She dropped her latte on the floor, her eyes going wide. "No...it can't be..." She backed up slowly towards the door of the Gap her eyes closed as she did so. "It's not him, it's not him, it's not him.." she repeated to herself stopping and trying to regain control of her breathing.  
  
Kunzite blinked. "Is there a problem? If there is, that's fine, I can just find this stuff myself..." He stumbled. Being in crowded places, especially during the daytime, disoriented him.  
  
"Please tell me that your name isn't Kunzite. Just please tell me that!" She opened her eyes looking at him, ready to flee if she needed too.  
  
Kunzite's blood ran cold. H-had he been found out? No. Better to deny it and keep a low profile.   
"N-no," he stammered. "My name's Malachite." He caught sight of her trembling hands and the shattered remains of a coffee cup on the floor. She looked so scared, so very frightened..."Miss? are you alright?"  
  
"M-M-Malachite?" she stuttered dumbly, blinking once and looking up at him. "THANK YOU!" she wrapped her arms arounnd him, hugging him to her tightly. She pulled away, a huge smile on her face. "You won't believe how relieved I am to hear that! You look so much like him, I was sure..." she trailed off before shaking her head. "Sorry I bothered you. Name's Aino Minako, resident future super star!" she winked and the energy only Minako possessed radiated   
from her. She looked at the jeans he had pointed to. "Those are women's jeans, ya know..."  
  
Kunzite turned bright red. "Err...I KNEW that. I-"  
  
"Never fear, though, Minako Aino, expert shopper is here!" She placed her hands on her hips and winked triumphantly before, to his distress, running up and down the aisles, grabbing random clothing items and stuffing them in his arms.  
  
"Miss Aino!" he cried. "I didn't plan on spending THIS much!"  
  
She stopped. "Oh, that's okay. My boyfriend will pay for everything!" She smiled. "He's rich."  
  
"Nevertheless, I must protest- AH!"  
  
She giggled as she grabbed him and shoved him and the clothes into the nearest changing room. Kunzite sighed and slipped out of his shirt, but caught the collar of it on his head and stumbled backwards. "Miss Aino-"  
  
Minako laughed to herself as she heard him struggling in the dressing room.   
"Don't be silly, call me Minako. We're friends now afterall." She called out   
cheerily. Yes, shopping was so much fun, though she was getting the oddest   
suspicion that he was gay. She shrugged. "I've always wanted a gay, guy best   
friend." sShe giggled while flipping through some of the swimsuits. One   
caught her eye and she held it up triumphantly. "Hell, yeah! A speedo!!"  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Mamoru nodded. "Yes, I was just about to suggest..." Waist. A. Gosh-darn   
cottin-pickin. Second. There was too much of a taunt in her voice, an almost   
gleeful snicker. And then it hit him like a ton of bricks.  
  
SHE WAS THE MUFFIN GIRL!!!  
  
Okay, wait, that just sounded stupid.  
  
SHE WAS THE GIRL FROM THE BAKERY!!! Oh, now everything made sense! The   
inability to place her in his mind, the confounding respect...  
  
He stopped in mid-sentence. Did she recognize him? No. He was safe-for the   
time being. But how long would it be before she did? Okay. Calm down. He had   
to be subtle...  
  
She raised an eyebrow at his response. She was sure he would've caught on by   
now as to who she was. She blinked. Maybe it wasn't him? No, he had the same   
strong build, the same sexy voice, and the same deep, blue eyes. She could   
get lost in those eyes...She closed her own eyes, trying to shake her head   
free of thoughts that she could probably get arrested for. She licked her   
lips unconsciously while inwardly berating herself. 'Gods, could I be more   
desperate?!' She heard him cough and she realized she'd been standing there   
awhile. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, unaware that her eyes were   
darker with some carnal emotion.  
  
Mamoru's eyes traced the path of her tongue as Usagi unconsciously licked   
her lips, some of his more primitive (yet frequently reoccuring) instincts   
beginning to surface. His flesh became hot and burning to the touch, and he   
found himself breaking out into a sweat. Not now, Mamory, nnot here...  
  
He tried to speak, but his voice refused to cooperate. He coughed, trying to   
clear it, causing a startled and embarassed look to form on her face. Her   
smooth, fair face, unblemish and slightly pink from her embarassment...  
  
Mamoru had to stop himself from reaching out to caress her cheek. If the   
twitching of his muscles in his arms hadn't told him this, the pounding in   
his chest would have.  
  
For the first time in his life, Mamoru Chiba was afraid.  
  
She suddenly became aware of how close they were standing. Watching him   
closely she saw his arm twitch and sweat appear on his forehead as some   
foreign emotion filled his eyes. What was it...fear? No, he could fear   
nothing, much less her. Despite the control she was famous for using, she   
felt herself slowly leaning forward, her lips slightly puckered. She felt   
his warm breath on her lips and her hands lifted up, getting ready to wrap   
around his neck...  
  
"Mr. Chiba?" Naru knocked on the office door. Usagi quickoly pulled away,   
her hands falling limply at her sides as she turned to glare at her best   
friend. "There's a woman named Rei here to see you, she said you should   
recognize her from where you used to live..." Naru nervously looked about   
the office, avoiding the stare of her best friend.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Beryl cast a frantic glance behind her and drew in a deep breath before   
strolling towards the two doors in her pristine, white, nurse's uniform. If   
she looked and acted the part, she just might be able to pull this off...  
  
Life on Earth was hell. No, it was worse than hell. It was like one of those   
boring field trips to a stupid museum that nobody cares about but just went   
on to get out of class, on a hot bus filled with screaming kids and a bus   
driver with a death wish. Okay, so that was basically her entire elementary   
school career. But Earth STILL sucked!  
  
Suddenly, she was jolted out of her sad and pathetic life memories by an   
ear-piercing scream. Beryl looked up, momentarily afraid she had been found   
out, to see a girl with raven-colored hair waving her arms and two squaking   
crows perched upon her shoulders...  
  
The girl's eyes widened at the scream and she froze, a drop of sweat   
appearing on her forehead. The girl in front of her continued to scream as   
tears filled her eyes and she ran away. Rei blinked, her hands falling to   
her sides.  
  
"She didn't even pay me!" she noted angrily, shoving her hands into her   
empty pockets. She had been sure that being a psychic was going to make her   
a fortune, since they seemed to be so popular here on Earth, but NO! She   
shook her head and rubbed her temples annoyedly. Her demon abilities   
actually gave her ssome psychic tendencies and so she thought it would be a   
good career choice. Humans are fickle though, so of course they wouldn't go   
to someone who actually was the real deal. 'I guess they don't like the   
future I tell, even if it is true...' Ugh, this really sucked. She was so   
poor she had to grow her own friggin food! "Excuse me, can I help you?" she   
looked over at Beryl, who had been staring for quite awhile. "Oh, you're a   
customer?" she ran over to the red-head before stopping short and letting   
her eyes go wide.  
  
"Beryl?! What the hell are you doing here?!!!!"  
  
Beryl's voice was just as, if not higher. "What are YOU doing here, Rei?" A   
million different possibilities ran through her head. Why was Rei here? Was   
this even the-the same Rei she had known? and just why the hell was it   
always so damn easy to spot Beryl incognito?! She put a lot of work into her   
disguises, dammit!  
  
"Nope, I asked you first." the failing-psychic said,  
placing her hands on her hips. She was Lucifer's main representative in  
dimplomatic deals with Heaven and so she knew the red-headed saint rather  
well. She often wondered how Beryl had gotten into heaven, but then again,  
she didn't really care.  
  
"Well, if you must know...I'm on vacation! Yes, vacation!" Beryl lied.  
  
"A vacation? On Earth?" Rei laughed, the crows that had been  
perched on her shoulders swooping off at the sudden movements and flying  
skyward. "Nice try Beryl, but everyone knows that Earth is worse than Hell."  
  
Beryl sniffed, trying not to let any sign of weakness show. "Well, HINO REI," she said, stressing the girl's name and looking around her to let people know that this was the name of the crazy solicitator, "you haven't told ME what you're doing here. And I should be quite curious to   
find out."  
  
"Well, if you MUST know BERYL, who happens to be PRACTICING AS A NURSE WITHOUT A LISCENSE, I'm on a mission here for Lucifer." she sighed heavily to show she wasn't very pleased about it. "And I'm sure you were sent here to find out exactly what it is, right?"  
  
Beryl ran up to her and covered her mouth. "SHH!" She looked  
around before lowering her voice even more. "If you must know, I'm posing as  
a candy striper."  
  
Rei blinked. "A candy stripper? What the hell is that?" She  
laughed. "Do guys eat candy off of you Beryl? I always heard you were a  
whore, but I never thought.."  
  
Beryl sweatdropped and had to resist the urge to backhand Rei  
across the face. "NO, you little imp!" she hissed. "It's the person who acts  
all scarily cheerful and brings mail and crap to the patients and stuff!"  
  
"Oooooh!" she grinned. "So you're the one that comes in  
while the patients are sleeping and annoys the hell out of them with her  
cheerful deposition." she patted the girl on the shoulder. "Suit you  
perfectly."  
  
The red head looked upward and rolled her eyes at God.  
Turning her attention back to Rei, she sighed and raised both eyebrows in   
the process. "So...have you killed any of these Earthlings yet?" It was all she  
could do to hide the hope in her voice.  
  
Rei shook her head. "I've been tempted quite a few times  
though..." she grinned evilly. "I have given some rather annoying ones some  
interesting future predictions. Anyways, that's besides the point. I told   
you why I was here, so spill it."  
  
Beryl folded her arms. "You didn't tell me much, only that  
you were on a mission for Lucifer. I'm here by accident. I was helping  
someone else out, and I accidentally, through no fault whatsoever of my own  
fell through the transportal." She raised her palms to the sky.  
  
"But," she continued sadly, "I'm at a loss of how to get  
home. You wouldn't beleive this but the only way to get back up is through  
Tokyo Cath-" she stopped suddenly and covered her mouth, having said too  
much.  
  
"The Cathedral?" she raised an eyebrow curiously but shook  
her head. "I care not, heaven holds nothing for me. I miss Hell more than  
anything. I would be miserable up there, more miserable than I am here.  
But.." she trailed off looking at Beryl curiously. "You must tell me who   
else  
is with you. I know there's someone else! More than one person actually...I  
see five others. Who are they?"  
  
Beryl's jaw fell open. "What? Where are you getting this  
from?!" She rushed forward. "Tell me, tell me!"  
  
She rolled her eyes at the girl's stupidity. "I'm psychic,  
remember?"  
  
But Beryl was too concerned with this new information to  
catch the sarcasm. She bit nervously on one of her fingers. "There's more?"  
she half-whispered to herself before shaking her head. Suddenly, she grabbed  
Rei by the collar of her kimono and shook her. "Who are they? Can you see  
them? TELL ME!!!!!!"  
  
"Calm down Beryl!" she said pushing the woman off of her and  
brushing off her robes. "Since I'm a demon I have slight psychic abilities,  
but I can mostly only see shadows..." she closed her eyes for a minute and  
concentrated before opening them once more. "I see a man searching for  
you...his name hasn't come to me, but he has silver hair. The other four are  
just going about their day, not thinking of you, but they have seen one  
another and know of eachother's presence."  
  
"...Most of them anyway..."  
  
Beryl's jaw, if humanly or heavenly possible, stretched even  
lower. "Oh my God..." she murmered. "The- they've all been sent....and that  
can only mean one thing." She gulped. That the problem was bigger than any of  
them had imagined....  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
"There's a women named Rei here to see you. She says you should recognize her from where you used to live..."  
  
Mamoru cleared his throat and looked at his secretary, the tiniest hint of a blush on his cheeks. "Errm....uh, send her in...I guess." He turned around, and looked surprised to see Usagi there, as though he'd forgotten. "You must excuse me, Miss Tsukino," he said almost cooly, trying to brush off the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach.   
  
Naru nodded and quickly scuttled out the door. She wasn't quite sure what she had interrupted in there, but she knew her friend wasn't happy with her...  
Back in the office Usagi, regaining her composure and returning to the fighting nature she was known for, looked up at him defiantly. "I thought you were taking me out for breakfast." she smiled smugly, placing her hands on her hips.  
  
Mamoru, still a bit shaken and in desparate need of coffee, half agreed with this idea. But then the feeling of him losing control of his own self, his thoughts, and his speech came flooding back to him and he shook his head and pretended to gather some papers from his desk. "I'm quite sorry, Miss Tsukino, but I will have to take you up on that some other time," he said rather sharply, regaining his composure. "In fact, I...." he let his voice trail off as he looked up and saw Rei standing there...   
  
"In fact nothing. YOU offered to take ME to breakfast." she held out her hand expectantly. "I want Naru to have the rest of the day off, since you deprive me of company, and enough money for both of us to go out for breakfast, since you were going to pay before."   
  
Rei looked at the scene before her amusedly, and laughed inwardly at the obvious discomfort Endym-Mamoru was experiencing while near this girl. He never acted nervous around women, in fact, he was very confident around them. She rolled her eyes. 'The pure one obviously has that affect on men..' she thought annoyedly, hoping that Serenit-Usagi, wouldn't recognize her.  
  
Mamoru shrugged. "Fine, fine, whatever suits your fancy." His eyes darted from Rei to Usagi, then slowly down her hips...God, he had to get her out of here fast! He darted over to his desk and pressed a button on the intercom. "Miss Naru? You may take the rest of the day off, and use the company account to purchase breakfast for both yourself and Miss Tsukino." He released the button and smoothed down his suit, trying to defer the way he felt inside. "Good morning, Miss....REI?!"  
  
Usagi nearly leaped with joy at how easy it had been to get what she wanted, but as she heard him call out the name she quickly spun around, her eyes meeting with demon's. "Rei? What are you doing here?!"   
  
Rei cursed. Obviously, she was not going to have such luck. "Um..I came here to see En-Mamoru. I am looking for a good advertizing company to help me with a 'project'." she stressed the word hoping that Usagi would pick up on the hint that she couldn't go into detail.  
  
"Oh." she blinked. "Okay, well, I'll be leaving now!" she hurried out of the room before the scenario got more awkward.   
  
Mamoru tensed up. Leave, leave, leave!!!! He walked over to his desk and almost fell into his chair, his energy quickly fading. His ears perked up at the mention of the word "advertising", for he was a business man, and the idea of money was candy for him.   
  
Mamoru stared down at his desk until he was certain Usagi was no longer in the room. "Rei?"   
  
Rei looked up at him and smiled seductively, leaning against his desk and stretching to reveal her perfectly flat stomach. "Hey Endymion, miss me?"   
  
Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that crap about a project. What are you really here for?"   
  
She laughed. "You could say I had a vision and am very powerful in psychic abilities or..." she picked up his 'little black book and began to flip through it absently. "...you could say I ran into a friend of yours."   
  
Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He leaned back into his chair. "Tell me about it."   
  
"Does the name Beryl ring a bell?" she mouthed the word 'wow' as she saw the amount of numbers he had in it already. She could do better though.   
  
Mamoru snatched it out of her hand. "Give me that," he snapped, opening the book to look at it himself and smiling faintly. Oh yeah. He was good. He shook his head quickly. "Beryl? No....never heard of her....why?"  
  
"Are you sure? Because she seems to know you." she laughed, all women knew him. "The poor girl ran into me near the Cherry Hill Temple while I was giving someone a reading, don't ask, and she told me the whole story. Well, about her falling off of some platform and being stuck on Earth. She told me you were here, but she wouldn't tell me why."   
  
He almost grimaced. Damn! Beryl, the stupid blabbermouth! His mind searched for a plausible excuse. "Ooooh...," he said slowly. "THAT Beryl."  
  
"Yes, that Beryl. I also happen to know that there are four more of you here, possibly for the same reason, possibly not. She did not tell me this though, I saw it in a vision. I have a feeling that you don't know about all of them though..." she paused. "Well, you do now!"   
  
Mamoru spent about a half a second processing this new information before the only logical conclusion arrived to him. "Oh my God!" he cried out. "The wicked witches of the north, west, east, and south!"  
  
He blinked. "I mean, the four saints!"  
  
She nodded. "Exactly." Flipping through some of Usagi's sketches she whistled at one of the earlier ones and her eyes popped into hearts. "I want that one!" she exclaimed, trying to distract her from the inevitable question that she knew was to come.   
  
Mamoru folded his hands and stared at his desk, as though it were quite interesting. Two more had come.... "Rei...why are you here?"  
  
"Well, uh..." she stuttered, trying to figure out how much to tell him. "I got sent in here on a quest by Lucifer. It's really stupid, I don't even get to blow up anyone. I have to watch someone to make sure they stay safe!" she slammed her hand down on the desk angrily. "That's your guy's fucking job!"   
  
Mamoru leaned back away from the desk. "W-what are you talking about?"   
  
"He's making me act as some sort of 'guardien angel' and I'm not even allowed to corrupt people while I'm here." she shook her head angrily. "I'm sorry your mistress got tired of you Lucifer, but seriously, I do not want to be her babysitter!"  
  
He frowned, but wisely chose to say nothing until Rei was finished venting. His words might very well cost him his life. When it appeared as though she had calmed down, he stood up and looked her square in the eye. "You need something from me."   
  
"Not particularly, not yet anyway. Actually, I didn't come here to see you I came to see U-" she stopped and yawned, pretending that it had been natural as she realized she was saying too much. "You were just an added bonus. I was hoping you would give me a bit more info. on why you're here exactly."   
  
Mamoru folded his arms across his chest. "I'm not quite sure why I'm here. I was told that Lucifer was planning some sort of assasination, and I was to stop it." He shrugged, not really caring if he gave away vital information- it wasn't as if he cared about the well-being of Heaven or his mission...or anyone for that matter. "But I'm here, and I sure as hell wasn't going to waste all of this..." he indicated with his outstretched arms the office room and building "just to go and 'save the day'. I think I've gotten a fairly good deal."  
  
Rei blinked a few times, processing this new information. "I know there's a connection somewhere..." she shook her head. "I'm too confused to think straight though. My charge is always keeping me on my toes. You have great taste in women, though." she winked. "That girl is pretty cute, maybe I should join the other side? I've tried everything else." she waited for the thought of her and Usagi together to set in his mind, her seductive smile returning to her face.   
  
It took him a moment, but her last words finally sank in, and he turned pale. "Hino Rei!" he yelled after her. "You're just sick, you know that!"   
  
Mamoru thought about this. "Interesting, but sick."   
  
She laughed again. "That is why I'm in Hell, right?" Yawning she grabbed a fifty off his desk. "I have to go now, but thanks for the money Endy. We must do this again sometime." she sashayed out the door   
  
"Oh, and Rei?" he called out to her retreating form. She turned and fixed   
her placid eyes on him. "Just so you know..." He held up his black book.   
"Your number's in here," he sang, grining like the cheshire cat. The   
priestess winked before turning around the corner and leaving his office.  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Where did you get that weird clothing you're wearing?" The blond inquired   
innocently, checking her watch and leaning against one of the changing room   
stalls.  
  
Kunzite frowned as he slipped out of his attire to try on the shirts Minako   
had picked out for him. He had encountered this before. What was wrong with   
a perfectly normal toga and tunic? Certainly it was more appropriate than   
the "rags" he had seen the youth wearing around Tokyo.  
  
"Thrift shop," he said, opening the door to reveal himself clad in somewhat   
forfitting jeans and a white polo t-shirt. He carelessly ran a hand through   
his hair, and asked modestly, "How do I look? are these jeans too tight?   
And," he paused, listening to the store's background music, "How come those   
people just can't get enough?"  
  
"You look fabulous in them!" she gave him a thumbs up sign and laughed at   
him comment. "Who knows, American music never made any sense to me, but I do   
know that you are SO getting that outfit!!" she pulled the tags off of the   
jeans and the shirt. "You can wear this our instead of that 'thing' you   
walked in wearing." Before he could object she grabbed the rest of the   
clothes that she thought he had looked good in and walked up to the   
register. Dollar signs appeared in the cashier's eyes as she rung up the   
clothes and the tags.  
  
"That'll be four thousand dollars, please." Minako pulled the platinum card   
out of her pocket non-chalantly and handed it over. The woman could harrrdly   
hide her glee as she gave back the card and bagged the clothes. "Please,   
come back soon!"  
  
"Are you read Kunz-" she stopped herself, surprised that the name had   
slipped out so easily. "I mean Malachite..." she shook her head at herself.   
"I'm sorry, you just look so much like him that it's scary. He died in a car   
crash three years ago. I'm over it, I just miss him; he was more of a best   
friend than anything..." she sighed before putting on her famous smile, the   
one she his all her feelings behind. Kunzite used to say that it was the   
most realistic fake-smile he'd ever seen. She had laughed it off, you needed   
a real-looking fake smile when you were famous. Not that she was yet, but   
she would be.  
  
Kunzite gasped and stumbled backwards, falling onto the check out counter of   
another line and bumping cashiere. 'N-no...stop it Kunzite....it's...it's   
not....'  
  
Her smile shrank slightly as she saw his reaction. "Oh, please don't be   
upset with me. I won't bring him up again, I promise!" she sighed and began   
mumbling to herself in some odd language. Her and the girls had made it up   
when they had lived on Earth together. They drove the guys crazy by making   
jokes about them and laughing. She wasn't sure how she remembered it still,   
it just seemed to spill out of her lips as she chided herself for brining up   
her ex.  
  
"Stop it, Mina-chan," he rasped.  
  
She looked up, her eyes locking with his. "Sorry..." she trailed off, not   
understanding what she saw in his eyes.  
  
Kunzite shut his eyes tightly, breathing even more rapidly. Mental images   
were flashing through his mind, like a screneshow with a broken projector.   
It was wild, like a worst nightmare...the colorful, happy images of himself,   
his old friends....and her. Her many smiles, her platinum locks, her   
dazzling eyes....and images of the rain. The flashing light, the tree, the   
car...  
  
"Mi- Minako....Minako Aino...."  
  
"That's right, I'm here Malachite. Don't worry." she placed a hand on his   
arm, trying to comfort him in whatever it was that was causing his to shiver   
violently. She set the shopping bags on the ground and wrapped her arms   
around him fully, whispering words of comfort to him.  
  
His first instinct was to recoil, but his body refused to cooperate. All he   
could do now was stand there in her embrace as the mental horror unfolded...  
  
"Mina-chan," he pulled back, panting. He rubbed his eyes furiously and   
focused all of his energy towards regaining his composure. Slowly, his   
heartrate returned to normal and he stopped shaking. But it was too late. He   
had remembered.  
  
His first instinct was to recoil, but his body refused to cooperate. All he   
could do now was stand there in her embrace as the mental horror unfolded...  
  
"Mina-chan," he pulled back, panting. He rubbed his eyes furiously and   
focused all of his energy towards regaining his composure. Slowly, his   
heartrate returned to normal and he stopped shaking. But it was too late. He   
had remembered.  
  
She pulled away slightly and looked up at him. "Are you okay Malachite? I   
was worried about you for a minute there. What happened?" she asked, a hint   
of anxiety mixed in with her seemingly calm voice.  
  
It was all so overwhelming for him now. The sight of her before his very   
eyes...but...but she didn't know. She didn't recognize him... "I-I'm okay   
now..." he stuttered, looking at the ground. "I must have...had a spasm or   
seizure or something..." he prayed she was still as unfamiliar with medical   
jargon as she had always been.  
  
"Thank you," he smiled weakly. He could't tell her now...it wouldn't be   
right... That was past, and had been for years.  
EvilUsaPuella: She nodded, trying to understand. If only Ami was here, then   
she could've askedd her what caused seizures and how to prevent them from   
recurring. "Why don't we go for lunch, that way you can sit down and rest   
while, just in case it happens again? My treat!" she smiled widly, trying to   
cheer him up a bit, as she picked up the bags once more.  
  
He started to call her to tell her that she'd already done enough, but she   
was already on her way out of the store and he had to walk quickly to keep   
up with her, despite the shaking in his legs. "Mis- Mina, I can't let you do   
this; you've already done too much for me," he protested.  
  
"Oh, don't be silly Malachite. We can even look in the Classified's to find   
you an apartment while we're there. I told you I was the welcoming   
commity..." she stopped short and her eyes went wide. There standing in   
front of her was a brunette who looked all too familiar...  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
So many evil complaints about a chapter not being out last week. WE'RE   
SORRY!! WE TRIED! But to make it up to you our chapter this week is   
unbelievably long...and filled with loads of stuff. We even have a steamy   
scene between Usagi and Mamoru...well, not really, but they're in the same   
room!!! *laugh nervously* Anyways, we'll have our chapters in on time as   
best as we can, so try and be nice!  
  
Chapter 6 Comments:  
  
*CrystallineLily: You have a laptop?! That would make my life soooo much   
easier! You see, my father works nights and is in bed all day (our computer   
is in his room) so I have to hand write the chapters with Nataku everyday in   
between classes. They're all above honors classes too and we don't even sit   
near eachother, so passing the notebook is near impossible during the day.   
Sorry it wasn't out when you wanted it to be. A day off on Monday and my   
being sick on Tuesday prevented us from working on it.  
  
*Aylee the Dragon: *laughs* We almost didn't censor out the words and stuff,   
but...er...*halo appears over head* we're kind of self conscious about that   
kind of stuff. Plus, our paranoid and spying parents would behead us with a   
dirty pen knife if they caught us writing some of this crap. But thanks for   
the positive review!  
  
*Princess Death: Thanks for being polite about your complaint! Sorry, lots   
of bad e-mails and deaththreats have put me in a rather bad mood..(I almost   
thought of killing off some of the characters just to make you people mad)   
No, but, we are REALLY REALLY REALLY sorry about not having the chapter out.   
I felt so guilty about it though that I put out "Meet the Females" to give   
you guys SOMETHING to read. We would've done the actual chapter, but Nata   
was away all weekend. (Her family stole her) Sorry again, and we hope this   
makes up for it. ^_~  
  
*Flying Onions: Again, gomen nasai, minna-san! *bow* We needed something to   
keep you guys amused! Plus...umm....we thought that it was a helpful insider   
that let you actually take a step back and see the big picture with all the   
females- you know, manipulative, smart, pretty, *flips hair* and can you   
BELIEVE Minako is a GOLD DIGGER?! *sweatdrops*  
  
*Lynn: YOU ROCK!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!! *hugs* YOU ARE SO AWESOME AND COOL!!!   
Thank you so incredibly much for the good review! :)  
  
And one last big thank you to the five of you and everyone else who has   
reviewed our story before. We wake up in the morning, see a review, and   
suddenly our whole day is brighter! Thanks!! 


	8. Food Court Catfight

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (Sorry, kiddies!)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Okay, it won't be long since you've already read it. WE DON'T OWN SAILOR MOON! Also,   
if you're a person who is offended by this for religious reasons, please check the disclaimer and   
author notes on the first chapter. Thanks! ^.^  
  
Author Notes: Come on, admit it: you've been dying for this scene!  
  
Special dedication: Aylee the Dragon, who is currently in surgery and will be in the hospital for two weeks. Speedy recovery wishes from Stara-and-Nataku and the gang!  
  
Chapter 7- Food Court Catfights  
  
  
Makoto's day had started out innocent enough.  
  
She had spent two grueling hours at work doing a photo shoot before finally getting a luncheon   
break, and was currently weaving her way through a sea of people at an open-air food court. She   
adjusted her sunglasses carefully over her eyes, hoping that no one would recognize her. She   
loved being a model, but she missed being able to go places without being followed. To her joy,   
no one seemed to recognize her and she quickly bought a slushy before sitting down at a table   
next to a blonde guy with short hair. "Can I sit here?" she asked. "All the other tables are   
taken..." She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, knowing he wouldn't recognize her.   
Flipping her brown ponytail over one shoulder, she placed her hands on her hips after setting her   
slushy down.   
  
The blonde man, who was also sporting sunglasses and a visor turned around. He smiled faintly   
when he saw her. "You can sit uanywhere/u you like," he said, grinning and taking a sip of   
his own drink. He ducked the hand she swat at him and laughed. "So, nice day, huh?"   
  
"Yeah." she laughed, sitting down next to him and sighing heavily. "Work is murder though. You're   
on your lunch break too?"   
  
He nodded. "It's just so relaxing to be able to come out here and sit and have a drink, and watch   
everyone else rushing around like crazy. People are too uptight these days." He leaned back in   
his chair and crossed his legs, making himself look comfortable. Well, that was partly true,   
anyway. Jadeite was on a break- about a three-week break.   
  
Life on Earth wasn't so bad, once you got used to it. It wasn't Heaven, that's for sure, and he   
missed it dearly, but Jadeite had found that he could survive- quite easily- in this society with   
very little effort. Why, just the other day he had been walking behind a little old lady on the   
street when someone attacked her and stole her purse. Given his extra strength and stamina,   
apprehending the crook was no difficulty, and he returned the purse to the woman. She was so   
appreciative that she reached into her purse and pulled out a fifty. A fifty! Cha-ching!   
Lunchtime!   
  
"I completely agree. People are either working or making someone else's life harder..." she   
trailed off, remembering the crowds she always had to avoid. That was the price of fame   
though..."What is it you do for a living?"  
  
"I'm...a guard." He smiled, trying to counter how cheesy that had just sounded.  
  
"A bodyguard?" she asked inquiringly, looking mildly interested. "REALLY?! Oh thank Gods! I've been looking everywhere for one. You're not currently employed for anyone are you?"  
  
"Umm...actually I'm quite busy with my current position." Yeah, busy rescuing kittens from trees and finding missing wallets under the bleachers. "On the other hand...what are you paying?" Oh yeah. He could turn this around.  
  
"How much do you want? I'm pretty desperate right now. I've been crowded everywhere I go." she   
looked around the open-air food court. "Either this disguise works REALLY well or people here are   
just idiots. Anyway, you could basically name your price..."   
  
Jadeite smiled from behind his sunglasses and whipped a card out of his pocket. Actually, they   
were really just a bunch of slips of paper Jadeite had scribbled his name and number down in an   
hour of boredom...but they served their purposes. He handed it to her.  
  
Jadeite Toriyama  
Multi Service  
654-9812  
  
Her eyes widened as she looked down at the card and she dropped it in surprise unable to speak   
for a minute. Suddenly, she stood up and wrapped her arms around him, tears forming in her eyes.   
"Jadeite!"   
  
The blonde man had a momentary panic in which he tried to remember just WHERE AND WHEN he could   
know a famous supermodel from. His eyes widened and he pulled back, studying her face.   
N-no...it couldn't be...."Kino? Kino Makoto?"   
  
She nodded, the crystalline tears now flowing down in her cheeks. "I can't believe it's you! I   
missed you guys so much. Are the others here as well?"  
  
"It's- it's really you?" he cried in a strained voice that told years of repressed and ignored   
memories. He threw his arms around her and laughed, embracing her tightly. He took a step back   
and looked at her. "I've missed you too! You haven't changed a bit!" His smile was uncontrollable   
now. Suddenly, a look of confusion arose on his face. "As far as I know, just Zoicite. But I   
haven't been able to find him. We're...we're here on duty."   
  
"Duty-?" she looked confused but what cut off by a loud shriek coming from the side of the food   
court. There, standing with a silver-haired man was a young, blonde and she was staring right at   
the two of them.   
  
"KINO MAKOTO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" People froze as they heard the screech and all   
eagerly turned their attention to the yelling girl.  
  
Makoto blinked, not recognizing the girl at first before she whispered, "Minako..."   
  
Jadeite and Kunzite exchanged glances. Confusion was written in their eyes, but unlike their   
female companions, they were much more subtle about it.  
  
Yeah right.  
  
In two or three leaps, Jadeite was over by Minako's side, hugging her and Kunzite, to his   
distress, at the same time. He was also crying as well, but everyone else tactfully decided to   
let it go unnoticed. The blonde was hugging and crying and laughing all at the same time- the   
vendors became worried.   
  
A girl with sapphire eyes looked up from the book she reading when she heard the yell and she   
nearly fainted right then. She stood up and walked over to the group shakily and removed her   
glasses, not sure if she was seeing correctly. "Guys?"   
  
"Jadeite," Kunzite gasped. "I'm REALLY happy to see you too, but you're cutting off my air   
supply..."   
  
Minako blinked as she saw the girl. "Ami?" This was getting way to weird, people were just   
popping out of nowhere!  
  
"Hello! What the fuck do I have to do to buy some food around here?!" a raven-haired goddess   
waved a fifty dollar bill in front of a vendor who was too preoccupied by the crying group to   
notice her. "ARE YOU IN THERE?!"  
  
A few stands away, a young man with exceptionally long hair and piercing eyes was arguing with a   
Coke machine about the proper change it had refused to give back when he heard the commotion from   
a little ways away. He turned around to see a crowd of people standing around each other,   
chattering and crying, and.... He dropped his beverage. "Oh my God..." he gasped.   
  
Ami turned slightly. "You know who that woman sounds like? She sounds almost exactly like..."   
  
Jadeite blurted out "Rei!" He'd know that foul mouth anywhere....   
  
Rei turned slowly, her jaw falling open as she saw the group of saints and demons gathered in the   
middle of the open air food court. Tucking a strand of raven-hair behind her ear she sashayed over to the group, winking at Jadeite, and stood there looking at them curiously. "What are all of you doing here?" she asked innocently.   
  
Kunzite smiled faintly. This was all so crazy...like a dream.....a dream he wasn't ready to wake   
up from yet.   
  
Zoicite appeared just behind Rei, much less composed than his fellow saints. "I'd like to know   
the same thing."  
  
Minako turned to look at Kunzite and her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're name isn't Malachite is   
it?"   
  
Kunzite's smile faded into a look of guilt. "Mina-chan...I didn't think it was right...to tell   
you...I'm sorry.." he bowed his head. Zoicite quietly and silently appeared at his side and took   
his hand. It wasn't that he didn't trust his Kunzite....just felt safer this way. Besides, he was   
in the doghouse too, and was going to need all the support he could get....   
  
Rei raised an eyebrow at the two of them as she saw them hold one another's hands. "Wait a   
second....why are you holding hands?"   
  
A familiar voice reached their ears from behind them. "Let's just say that in Heaven, love is   
blind." Nephrite's half-smile became visible to the crowd of people.   
  
Jadeite scowled. "Are you kidding? Those two are gayer than Gap employees!"   
  
Minako blinked once, before she dropped the bags she had been carrying and they fell to the   
floor, her hand flying to cover her gasping mouth.   
  
Ami froze in place, her eyes fixated on her ex-boyfriend Zoicite and she looked down at their   
joined hands in utter shock.   
  
"Wait a minute...you two are GAY?" Rei asked, a smile tickling the edges of her lips.   
  
Zoicite bit his lip and squeezed the other's hand. It had to happen sooner or later....  
  
Makoto looked at Rei anxiously, afraid of what she thought the girl was going to do, and sure   
enough...she did.  
  
Nephrite took his place next to Makoto and folded his arms. "Rei, don't you dare..."   
  
"So let me get this straight..." She cracked up. "You had sex with MINAKO and then you TURNED   
GAY?!"   
  
Jadeite snorted and clutched Rei's arm to steady himself before receiving a death glare from   
Zoicite, and he covered his mouth, but his sides still shook with laughter. He had been waiting   
for this day for years....   
  
Minako turned to Rei, her face burning bright red as she glared at the raven-haired psychic.   
"Rei!"   
  
"No, this is priceless!!! Oh, how the mighty have fallen." She felt her sides splitting as her   
laughter became even louder. "She falls from sex goddess straight down to COLD FISH!"  
  
Kunzite bristled, but his companion patted his arm in an effort to prevent this conflict from   
going anywhere...however, Rei and her little circus monkey Jadeite had other ideas.   
  
Jadeite suddenly brightened with a good idea and ran off to one of the vendor stands to buy some   
popcorn. This would be some show.   
  
Zoicite glared. "Okay, Rei, I think you've had your fun now..."   
  
Rei looked at him funny. "I am nowhere near through having my fun Zoicite." She turned back to   
Minako who was so red with anger that she could have been a tomato. "I guess you just weren't   
able to satisfy him Minako...imagine...he had to turn to a man!"  
  
"That's no offense to you of course, I'm sure," Makoto said to Ami who had been standing their   
completely dumbfounded throughout the whole thing.   
  
"Stop it, Rei.." Kunzite said threatening.  
  
Nephrite covered his face with one hand and shook his head. This was going to get ugly.  
  
"Oh yeah, no offense to you at all Ami. I mean, it's not like you had much to give in the first   
place-" Rei would have finished that statement all the way, but was unable to as she was pounced   
on immediately by the blue-haired bookworm.   
  
Minako blinked, surprised that Ami had attacked Rei before her, before jumping into the fight as   
well. "DIE, BITCH!"   
  
Zoicite put a hand to Kunzite's chest to prevent him from stepping into the fight. He shook his   
head. "It's a battle royale. There's no stopping them now...JADEITE, I KNOW YOU ARE NOT SELLING   
TICKETS!"   
  
Jadeite looked up and grinned cheekily. "Hey, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...."   
  
Kunzite gasped. "Jadeite, you can't just sell tickets at a cat fight between our old   
girlfriends!"   
  
Jadeite thought to himself. "You're right...Nephrite, take bets for me!" He winced as he saw Rei   
take a hit. "Hey, baby, I'm rooting for ya! Next!"   
  
Surprisingly, Rei was holding up pretty well against the onslaught of the two girls and was   
landing as many hits as she was taking.  
  
Makoto sweatdropped and she turned to look at the guys. "So, how's it been going?"   
  
Guys from around the food court, even the vendors, immediately been crowding around the girls, and buying tickets from the guys. "I hope something falls out..."   
  
Kunzite sighed, seeing that there was nothing he could do- for either of the two crazed lunatics.   
  
Two minutes ago they had all been hugging and crying, and now....now....ooh...Mina was down, but   
not out! Yeah! He cheered silently.   
  
"Come on, rip her shirt off!"   
  
"Ow, that one hurt."   
  
"That can't be legal."   
  
"Look at those muscles, I bet they're great in bed..."   
  
Zoicite sweatdropped. "Oh, things have been better..." his eyes traveled to the cheering crowd.  
  
Makoto raised an eyebrow as one of the guys actually asked if he could pay to take the three   
girls home. "Earth is such an interesting place, I had almost forgotten the vulgarity of men..."  
  
"MEN?! Do you HEAR what Rei is saying?"   
  
"Mother fucker! I-"  
  
She laughed at that one. "She never was the innocent type. Maybe that's why she dated you,   
Jadeite." she turned to look at him, curiously. "Was there ever any emotion in your relationship,   
or was it just amazing sex?"   
  
The now enterprising blonde was holding a yen in his mouth. He paused to look up for a moment.   
"Oh, probably a bit of both. She's a wildcat, but...." he smiled as Rei socked Ami in the gut.   
"We're just so perfect for each other, don't you think?"  
  
Ami was actually doing well in the fight, surprising a bunch of people with her hard punches as   
everyone had expected her to lose immediately. She knew she was slowing though, and she tried to   
communicate with Minako on how to team up on Rei, but the noise from the crowd blocked out her   
voice.   
  
"So, you're still interested in her?" Makoto asked, pulling her hair out of its pony tail and   
letting it fall around her in soft waves, hoping to catch Nephrite's eye.   
  
Jadeite shrugged. "Who's NOT interested in Rei?" he grinned madly. "But," he added as an   
afterthought, "it's been three years."  
  
"And that means...?" she trailed off watching as the fight ended quickly with Rei the victor. She   
was sitting on Ami, was kicking weakly, and holding Mina down with her arms. Both looked to   
exhausted to be angry anymore.   
  
Jadeite used the fight as an excuse to ignore the previous question, and he went over to hold   
Rei's arm up as victor. The crowd cheered, and all those that had placed bets on the psychic   
smiled triumphantly.  
  
Zoicite cleared his throat. "Ahem. So...Makoto...er...." he twisted his hands together nervously  
  
Kunzite shook his head. "Don't."  
  
Zoicite bit his lip. "I was wondering...."  
  
"No."  
  
Zoicite blurted out," What's hell like?"   
  
Makoto turned to Zoicite, her eyes laughing. "It's not nearly as bad as people make it out to be.   
Actually, it probably is, but I wouldn't know. I was pampered along with the rest of us..." she   
stopped a minute, looking at the ground half-ashamed. "We were Lucifer's mistresses."  
  
Kunzite gasped. Nephrite hit his arm and frowned. "You didn't exactly stay faithful, either,   
Kunzite..."  
  
Zoicite blushed furiously, and Kunzite was at a loss for words.   
  
Rei stood up, waving at all her adoring fans, making sure that her shirt rode up a bit while she   
did so. There were holes in different parts of her jeans from the fight, but she was still mostly   
in tact. "Thank you, thank you!" she blew a kiss.  
  
Makoto shook her head. "It's different in Hell. We didn't have any feelings for him at all, but   
sex isn't important there like it is here. It's something that people just do when they meet   
eachother. It's odd, they treat it almost like a handshake."   
  
Jadeite popped his head up from the crowd. "God, I'd be the most popular and friendly person   
THERE!"   
  
She did a slight half-smile and looked over at Nephrite briefly, an apologetic look on her face.   
"When I was there, I wasn't embarrassed by it. My morals were gone I guess, something about being   
down there does that to you. Now though, I'm so ashamed of what I've done." she shook her head   
and tried to fight back tears.   
  
Nephrite smiled encouragingly and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, her eyes locking with his and she gasped. She had forgotten how handsome he was and how much she had missed him. "Nephrite..." she choked slightly, wrapping her arms around   
him.   
  
Minako stood up, brushing herself off and looked over at Kunzite mournfully. She walked up to him   
and looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously. "Did you really turn to him because I   
wasn't enough for you?" she whispered softly.   
  
Kunzite held her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Minako! Of course not! How could   
you ever- never mind Rei, she says things to feed her ego." He pulled her into a friendly   
embrace. "Mina-chan, you were my best friend." Her eyes were still questioning. "I was gay before   
I even met you; it had nothing to do with you at all....or Ami, right Zoicite?"   
  
Minako nodded. "I never thought of you as gay, but I always got more of a friend vibe from you.   
Friend with benefits, anyway."   
  
Rei turned to look at Jadeite curiously and winked at him, smiling seductively. "So Jadeite,   
since you're back in town, are you going to wind up in my bed every other day again?"   
  
Zoicite folded his arms. "You know, Jadeite, I'm starting to wonder how you ever got into   
heaven."   
  
"That's something I've always wondered about.." Rei said teasingly.  
  
Jadeite shrugged and sauntered over towards Rei. "Stranger things have happened, you know," he   
said slyly.   
  
Zoicite's ears perked up at Kunzite's comment, and he scanned the crowd for Ami's figure. When he   
spotted her, he ran over to her and helped her off the ground. "Ami?" he said, a little   
frightened.   
  
Ami's eyes opened slowly, her vision a little hazy as he came into focus. She knew it was him   
before she saw his face though, she would always know. "I'm okay." she smiled weakly, standing   
up. "It was you the other day, wasn't it?"   
  
Kunzite let his arms fall to his sides. "I'm sorry for not telling you eariler..."   
  
Minako shook her head. "It's okay. I thought it was you. At first I was scared to death because I   
thought I was seeing a ghost."   
  
Rei looked up at him through her lashes, looking more exotic as she did so than usual. Her face   
was slightly flushed from the fight, and her hair tousled. She pushed herself up against him and   
wrapped her arms around his neck. "Miss me, baby?"  
  
Jadeite slid his arms around her waist and grinned. "Of course, my little demon. And what sorts   
of trouble have you been causing all this time?"   
  
"Sadly, all I've been allowed to do is give people real psychic readings. It actually scares them   
beyond belief." she smiled evilly. "Who knew the truth could be so painful? And yourself?"  
  
Jadeite thought for a moment. "Earth is all right. These people cheap, though. I jumped into a   
lake the other day to retrieve this priceless emerald pendant the other day, and they gave me a   
coupon for a free rental of "Corky Romano". Can you believe that?"   
  
Zoicite nodded weakly. "I- I'm sorry, Ami, I didn't realize it was you until you gave me your   
number, and by then you were gone. I- I was so angry, too...angry at the fates. I thought it was   
some cruel joke being played on me, that you weren't real..."  
  
"It's okay, seriously. I wasn't really expecting you to call either. I was mad at myself for   
giving you the number just because you looked like...well you. But, now I'm glad I did give it to   
you. I miss having someone to talk to where I don't have to dumb down my words..."  
  
Nephrite held Makoto as she quietly sobbed into his chest, patting her back in comfort. "It's   
been a long three years, hasn't it?" he asked sadly.   
  
She nodded and went silent a minute contemplating something, not quite sure how to express it.   
"Why are you here?"   
  
Everyone froze at Makoto's last question. At last, the truth would, as Rei put it, be revealed.  
  
The four saints exchanged questioning glances. Could they tell them?   
  
The silence was unnerving. "Uh..W-Why are uyou/u guys here?" Jadeite asked.   
  
Rei rested her head on Jadeite's chest as she sighed and turned to look at everyone. "You see,   
Lucifer and his mistress, Serenity, had this fallout or something. So he sent her to Earth on   
this quest to sort of give them time apart from one another. We were sent to watch her and make   
sure she doesn't hurt herself and stuff."  
  
"REI!" the girls screeched, glaring at the psychic.  
  
Zoicite raised an eyebrow. He whispered to Nephrite "I think there's more to this than that..."   
  
"What kind of quest did he send her on?" Kunzite asked curiously.   
  
"Probably similar to the one He sent him on," Jadeite mused.   
  
Nephrite smacked his arm. "Shhh!" he hissed.   
  
"Just some stupid thing about killing a guardian angel." Rei said nonchalantly returning her   
attention to Jadeite.   
  
Makoto groaned at Rei's openness about their mission. "Well, now that you know, how about telling   
us what your person is here for. I know you have one, it's obvious."  
  
Each of the guardian's mouths dropped open, including Jadeite's. For a moment, they were   
speechless, and none of them dared to move. Zoiste looked at Kunzite, silently asking what they   
should do.   
  
The girls looked at each other somberly, not sure whether to be happy or sad. The irony of the   
situation was killing them. Why did they have to run into them? But then again, why wouldn't they   
want too?   
  
Ami looked at everyone saying the question that was one everyone's mind, "Where are we now?"   
  
"Heaven," Jadeite offered.  
  
"Hell." Rei said at the same time as Jadeite.  
  
Nephrite shrugged. "Or somewhere in between?" 


	9. It's Getting Hot in Here Part A

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. We don't own Sailor Moon, Treize, Victoria's Secret, or Heaven and Hell. ^_~  
  
  
Author Note: It took us F-O-R-E-V-E-R to write this chapter! It's over thirty pages long (probably over fifty but who's counting?) plus we had midterms on top of everything. We are sorry it's so late though. Hopefully the length and steamy scenes will make up for it. *both laugh*  
  
This chapter was so long that we had to split it up into three parts. THREE! A notepad wouldn't hold the whole thing. *laughs*   
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 8-It's Getting Hot in Here (Part A.)  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Mmmm...Mamoru." Usagi cooed, her arms wrapping around him.   
  
Mamoru pressed her slender body up against the wall and slid his hands over her  
body, capturing her mouth with his.   
  
Her legs wrapped around his waist on instinct, and she held onto his shoulders  
for support as his mouth ravished her own.   
  
"Usagi," he breathed, nibbling on her earlobe and slowly traveling down her  
neck. He ran his fingers through her soft hair, intertwining the silken strands.   
  
Her spine tingled at his touch and she gasped, her hands slipping beneath his  
shirt to run across bare skin. "Gods Mamoru.."   
  
Suddenly, Mamoru Chiba was shaken out of his dream by the  
incessant beeping of his alarm clock. In his befudled state, partly by the  
regular early-morning waking, and partly because of his dream, he blindly began  
searching for the button to turn the thing off. He accidentally knocked it off  
of his dresser, unplugging the cord and stopping the beeping. Mamoru fell back  
onto his bed and panted. As long as it stopped.  
  
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and laid there in bed, staring at the  
ceiling and trying to control his hearbeat. It was a dream....but he could still  
feel her beneath his hands, hear her whisper his name, feel her hands on his  
skin.   
  
He was gonna need a LOT of coffee.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"Mr. Chiba..." Naru started speed-walking next to the  
dark-haired, business man as he hurried towards his office. "You've had four  
phone calls today, the messages are on your desk and..." she trailed off as he  
opened the door, revealing that a petite, blonde was sitting in his office.  
"Usagi is here."  
  
He quickly turned on his heel and nodded in Naru's direction.  
"Thank you," he said curtly before shutting his office door. It was cold, but  
Mamoru had decided: if he were to successfully work with Usagi Tsukino, the only  
way would be to act as tough as nails. No emotional interference. He just  
couldn't trust himself- or his body.   
  
"Good morning, Miss Tsukino," he said, gathering his messages  
and shuffling them before glancing quickly at each one. Pointless and utterly  
simple-minded calls, probably not worth his time. He was tempted to toss them away, but as kissing ass was a prerequisite to his job, he set them neatly somewhere on his desk and turned his attention to the girl before him.   
  
She raised a golden eyebrow at his odd behavior towards Naru,  
but shook it off temporarily. "Morning Mamoru-baka." she smiled, instantly  
melting away his hopes of being professional. "Sleep well last night?" She  
tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and looked up at him curiously.  
  
Momentary panic. What the- she couldn't- damn.   
  
"Like a log," he said, at what he hoped sounded indifferent. "And  
yourself?"   
  
"Not a wink." she sighed, stretching and yawning slightly as if  
to prove her point. "After three I had to kick him out though. I wanted to  
attempt at getting some sleep, but the need to draw kept me up anyway." she  
smiled deviously, sliding a folder over to him.   
  
Mamoru took the folder from her, raising an eyebrow at her  
comment and browsed through the sketches. His eyes nearly popped out of his  
head. He cleared his throat. "Miss Tsukino, these drawings are- well, the  
improvment is undeniable from what I saw yesterday." The drawings weren't just  
improved, they were superb, but he couldn't very well have her thinking she was  
some artistic genius. As there was no middle person to act between the two as a  
negotiator (and she was clearly inexperienced, from what he could tell),   
Mamoru was going to have to act as her manager.  
  
Usagi inwardly sighed, slightly disappointed by the fact that  
the news of her being with someone hadn't bugged him in the least. So what if  
this person she was with had been him, and so what if it had only been a dream.  
The drawings that had come out afterwards though, were effortless and beautiful.  
The best she'd done, actually. The worst part was, there hadn't even been  
physical contact, just the thought of him holding her. "They're better than  
you've ever seen, and what you ever will see." she smiled smugly. "Unless, the  
better ones are by me as well."   
  
"Cocky, now, aren't we?" he smiled, but inwardly he frowned.  
Usagi had a personality almost as dominant and willful as his own, and this  
could present a problem in their relationship.  
  
Work. Work relationship.  
  
Mamoru was begining to lose control of his thoughts again. Not good. Focus.  
  
"Well, Miss Tsukino, are you ready to begin what will transform you into Tokyo's  
best fashion designer?"  
  
"Depends on what you're referring to." she stood up, having  
dressed in a short summer dress today and whicker platforms. Hey, if she had to  
deal with HIM she might as well be comfortable.   
  
He whistled. "Professional." He dragged out the word, adding his  
own trademark sarcasm to it, carefully hidden of course. "What time do you need  
to be back at your office?"   
  
"Office?" she cocked her head to the side slightly and planted  
her hands on her hips. "I don't have an office, I work from home. I just fax  
things in to my building, and I'm my own boss. I work when the inspiration comes  
to me." she smiled at his reaction to her dress, noticing the sarcasm but  
choosing to ignore it.   
  
"Well, my scheduale does not permit such leisure, so if I  
may..." Ah HA! Mamoru, one, Usagi....probably somewhere in the general vicinity  
of one, but Mamoru was up there now! "..would you like to get busy? Started!" he  
corrected himself quickly.   
  
"Sure." she nodded, walking over to him and linking her arms  
with his. "But first..." she stood on tiptoes, pressing herself against him, and  
whispered in his ear, her lips brushing it as she spoke. "Is my dress too  
short?"   
  
"Just a second, " he said, taking a step back from her and  
pressed a button on his desk. "Miss Naru, will you please step in here for a  
moment?"  
  
Shortly after that, Naru timidly appeared at his door and opened it slowly. She  
was sporting another one of her miniskirts, which was in actuality just a  
washcloth around her waist. Mamoru's eyes traveled from Naru's hemline to  
Usagi's, which were both in their own respect quite short. "Let's see...." he  
said, trailing a finger down the side of the dress until he reached the end of it,  
brushing her leg in the process. "No, your dress is standard length.  
Thank you, Miss Naru."   
  
She gasped at his touch, her eyes closing, and she shivered  
slightly as fire shot all throughout her body. She instinctively placed a hand on  
his shoulder for support, before opening her eyes an attempting to glare at him,  
but wound up only looking at him in utter shock. What the hell was wrong with  
her?!   
  
Her shudder did not go unnoticed. Mamoru smiled inwardly- two  
could play at that game.   
  
As Naru bowed and made her exit, Mamoru looked at the clock and  
remembered that he did have other clients. They needed to start eventually. "So,  
Miss Tsukino, will you show me some of the designs you'd like to concentrate on  
in your add campaign?"   
  
Using his pinky as an pointer, he traced parts of the design  
from the top to the waist, admiring the curves and clings of the dress. "Tell  
me," he said in an almost admiring voice, "do you base these designs on your own  
structure?"  
  
She looked at him curiously, not sure if that was supposed to  
be a compliment or just an innocent question. "No, they're based on my top model  
Kino Makoto." she pulled out a picture from the folder as well. She couldn't  
place it, but that girl looked SO familiar..."I knew she'd be perfect as soon as  
I saw her, don't you agree?"   
  
He shrugged. "She doesn't fit the traditional image of a model,"  
he allowed, noting her frame and structure. "Not like you." The words were out  
of his mouth before he could stop them.   
  
He paled and turned to face her, which was a mistake, because  
she was right there over his shoulder, and their faces were within centimeters  
of each other. This situation seemed familiar...  
  
Her face faltered slightly at his comment and she blinked, not  
sure if she had heard correctly. "What did you say?" she breathed, her breath  
tickling his lips ever so softly.   
  
"N-nothing," he breathed, bringing his voice down to a whisper.  
W-why was she looking at him like that? Her face looked pink and flushed, she  
was batting her long lashes, and her lips trembled as if....as if....  
  
He gulped. Oh God....   
  
She looked down slightly, turning a light crimson. What was  
wrong with her? She never blushed when approaching a guy, NEVER! Usually she was  
in full control, making them want her more and more while giving them less and  
less, but more some reason...he was different. Looking up at him through her  
lashes she tried to focus on something other than the fact that he smelled like  
fresh cut roses, and that he was standing so damned close...   
  
"I-I just..." ARG! DAMMIT! What's WRONG with you, Mamoru? You  
don't whisper, you don't stammer, you don't lose it over a woman...but she  
wasn't just ANY woman....   
  
And suddenly, by some unlucky/fortunate twist of fate, gravity  
was compelled to exert it's evil self on Mamoru, and he stumbled forward a bit.  
If there faces were close before, they were TOUCHING now....   
  
There was something different about him, though she wasn't sure  
what it was exactly. He was drop dead gorgeous, but then, so were many men.  
Maybe it was that he was as stubborn as she was. She didn't know, or really care  
at the moment. All she knew was, that whatever attracted her to him was working  
overtime at the moment. 'Screw it!' She slowly let her lips come forward and  
brush against his lightly, afraid of how he might react to the bold action, but  
unable to keep it from occuring.   
  
He didn't need any convincing. If humanly possible, he closed  
the gap between them and kissed her quickly. Immediatly realizing the liberty he  
was taking, he panicked and braced himself for a slap or a punch, or even a  
scream of some sort. But she did none of these. In fact...she seemed to be  
enjoying it. Very. He slid his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss  
slowly and slyly...   
  
Usagi gasped slightly at the added passion, and she matched it  
instantly when she got over the initial shock. The hands at her waist seemed to  
be cradling her gently, almost as if he was afraid she would break, and she  
leaned against the desk for support. Her knees were becoming to weak to hold her up.   
  
Mamoru would have gasped had his mouth not been more occupied at the moment. She  
felt so soft and delicate beneath his hands through the thin fabric of her  
sundress. But the initial pleasure of just touching and his lips upon her grew  
old. He wanted more, and silently begged for permission to enter her mouth.   
  
What is this?! He did not ASK for permission! But she was different...she felt  
fragile, and he was afraid of hurting her...  
  
Almost immediatly she parted her lips for him, granting him  
the access he desired. An almost inaudible groan arose from her mouth, and a  
deep hunger surged through her body. She needed to stop. He was the enemy!  
Wasn't he...?   
  
As he kissed her with passion, every thought left his mind so that he was  
concentrating solely on her. She groaned from the back of her throat, and Mamoru  
instantly became charged with a sense of masculin power that drove him on. He  
used his abdomen to push her farther up against his desk so that he was  
shielding her, and yet covering her all at the same time. But just as he began  
to move his hands down, something startled both of them out of their reverie...  
  
The fire alarm went off.  
  
So did the sprinklers.  
  
Needless to say, Usagi was a bit surprised as water began to soak through her   
thin sundress and drench her.  
  
Mamoru's eyes snapped open to be greeted with her crystal blue ones. He looked up to see a large turret of water raining down on him. All over his office was the same. He pulled back in surprise. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded. He ran over to the door and saw all of his employees racing down the emergency exits and out of the building. The fire alarm blarred in his ears. "Come on!" he yelled, grabbing Usagi's arm and yanking her out the door and down the stairs.  
  
Still a bit flustered from the kiss, she followed him dazedly silently cursing whatever demon had decided to go against her and interrupt the kiss.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Rei squealed excitedly, her lips forming an evil smirk, as she ran down the hallway of CIA, her heels clicking loudly. Never in her entire life had she felt such a rush without the use of drugs or alcohol. The adrenaline pumped through her body as she ran and she turned to look behind her to make sure no one was following her. Maybe this is why she didn't see the blonde haired man standing in the hallway.  
  
Jadeite blinked as Rei hit him full force in the chest, sending both of them tumbling onto the floor. Damn, didn't see that one coming. He figured she would have turned around or seen him at the last second or SOMETHING...  
  
He propped himself up with one elbow, with her lying on top of him, gasping for breath. "You know, you didn't have to go to all the trouble of pulling a fire alarm just to jump me."  
  
She blinked for a minute, shocked that she had run into someone and even more shocked that it had been him. Smirking, she stood up, brushing herself off and stretching lazily, allowing her shirt to ride up and expose her flat stomach. "And what makes you think I pulled the alarm?"  
  
He grinned wryly. "You never get so flustered or giddy as when you've done something mischievous, Hino Rei." She reached out her hand and helped him up off the floor. "Plus, you're the only other person left in the building." Suddenly, he got an idea. "You know, since we're all alone in the building..." he let his voice trail off suggestively.  
  
She looked at him curiously for a minute, trying to make it appear that she hadn't caught onto his meaning at first, before wrapping arms around his neck. Playfully nibbling on his ear, she ran her hands down his sides suggestively. "And what makes you think I still want you after three years? I have sooo many other people in 'my' little black book." she cooed, pulling away and beginning to walk down the hall away from him.  
  
"Okay. Playing hard to get, huh?" he purred.   
  
Turn-on.   
  
Jadeite humbled himself before her. "What would make me worthy of your embrace, m'lady?"   
  
"Hmm..." She might as well get SOMETHING from him, but what did she desire most at the moment...besides him? Then, it hit her. She smiled. "Take me out for lunch? I'm completely starved!" What? A girl had to eat! If he was surprised, he didn't show it. He must still be used to her. (Expect the unexpected) That thought left her both happy and curious. Boy did she have a question to ask later! "Please?" she asked, nuzzling his neck playfully, her hands massaging his lower back.   
  
Jaedite starred at her for a moment, blinking, and then threw his head back and laughed. "That I can do," he said, winking. "Where would you like to go?"   
  
She hugged him tightly again, gratification shown clearly on her face. "Some place where we can talk. I have soooo many questions to ask you." she winked.   
  
"Oh, I knew SOMEONE missed me!" he swooned dramatically, clinging to her arm before grinning and linking her arm with his. "I wonder if the elevators are still working..." he said, eyeing Rei out of his perifial vision.   
  
"I dunno. I doubt it though, the building is completely empty." she raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I'm surprised they don't have firemen swarming the area already..."   
  
Jaedite was just about to respond when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. "Quick!" He grabbed Rei's arm and pulled them both down behind a desk and watched.  
  
"But Officer, I swear I was right there! I didn't see anyone!" A suspiciously familiar looking young man with long hair pulled back into a pony tail and wearing a custodian outfit pleaded to an officer in front of him, who was busy scribbling something onto a notepad.   
  
Rei snickered quietly, watching the all to familiar man from their spot under the desk. Being, well....her, she let her hand run up and down one of Jadeite's legs, as they watched.   
  
"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!!!" Zoisite cried out in dismay.   
  
"Well, you just come on down to the station and we'll determine everything from there."   
  
"You must be joking! I've never gotten a detention in my life, much less been arested. And I did NOT pull that fire alarm, you twit!"   
  
Rei pondered the situation before her. Turn herself in, or let him take the heat for her? She smiled. No contest. She turned to Jadeite a smirk on her face. Jadeite gulped. He didn't mind seing Zoisite break a sweat, but the publicity from something like this could jeapordize their mission. Besides, there was no way they would be able to explain this one to the council...   
  
Rei looked over at the dismayed expressin on Jadeite's face and sighed. Her face scrunched up at the thought of doing a good deed, but then again, she could always make Zoicite pay for their lunch. "Is...is someone there?" Rei whispered out hoarsely, standing up from under the desk and allowing herself to shake slightly as if she was afraid of something.   
  
Jaedite's jaw dropped open as he watched Rei stand. "Wha- ttttt," he hissed as Rei stepped on his hand, shutting him up.  
  
The police officer looked around to see where the voice was coming from. "Hello? Is anyone still in the building?"  
  
Zoisite's acute hearing spotted the source before the officer, and he gasped before shaking his head and offering his hands to the policeman. "Book me, book me now! Take me away!"   
  
Rei stepped into the light, her choice of attire matching her personality perfectly. A short black mini-skirt, and a flaming red halter showed off all the right curves as she walked over to the officer. "Yes, I'm...I'm afraid that I got trapped in here. The door was locked and I couldn't open it-" she preteded that she had just noticed Zoicite. "ZOICITE!" she wrapped her arms around him. "I thought I was never going to see you again." she turned to the policeman. "Please officer, my brother is innocent. He was probably up here looking for me. I'm known to get caught in the oddest of places..." she twisted a lock of raven hair around her finger idly. "...janitor closets, bathroom stalls, the back seat of cars..."  
  
Zoisite turned to the officer and looked him straight in the eye. "I have never seen this woman before, I have no idea-AA-" he gasped as she began squeezing him, in what he suspected was more than just her being glad to see him.   
  
The policeman's note pad fluttered from his hands as he laid eyes on her. "I-I'm terribly sorry, miss. I had no idea he was your- your brother. Please allow me to give you an escort out of the building."  
  
Jadeite turned back around and propped his head up with his hand, musing to himself. "I cannot beleive she pulled that off...okay, yes I can, but just the same....." Now all he had to do was figure out how he was going to get out of here unnoticed...  
  
"Thank you so much, officer." she smiled, linking arms with the policeman. "Do all policemen have badges, or is that just sheriffs? Not that it matters anyway, I think men who wear uniforms are totally hot." She watched Zoicite out of the corner of her eye and winked at him, before continuing to talk to the police officer.   
  
Zoicite sighed in capitulation as Rei continued to flatter the cop. Hadn't he already suffered ENOUGH at this crazy chick's hands? "Now, dear sister, don't you think we ought to be LEAVING now? Let the poor-I mean, the nice policeman get back to his job." He tugged on her arm.   
  
Rei pouted slightly at Zoicite but was inwardly cheering. The man in blue next to her did nothing but ramble on about his accomplishments, and people thought SHE was egocentric. She accepted his arms and practically skipped down the road with him. "I still have power over the male population. Amazing, you think they would've learned to evolve against their weaknesses by now." she shook her head. "I think Jed is the only one able to resist me, besides you and Kunzite of course." she smiled evilly.   
  
Zoisite tried his best, but couldn't hold back a snort. "Eh...that's funny. So where is the poor guy anyway?"   
  
"You're just jealous because I have more guys chasing me than you do." she flipped her raven hair over her shoulder. "Um..well...I kinda left him upstairs in that office." she stopped. "Hey! I DO have power over him...sorta...I guess." she shook her head. "Maybe not."   
  
"Jadeite is as irresistable to your charms as the rest of the male population," Zoicite comforted. But in all truth, men confused him just as much as women, and he was really at a loss for these kind of moments. He shook his head. "I wonder why the alarm went off in the first place...I mean, I was working right around the corner from where it happened, and I swear I didn't see anyone...the person who did it must have been as quiet as a mouse, and stealthy, too."   
  
"Um...yeah..." she whistled innocently, surprised that he hadn't asked her what she had been doing in "CIA" in the first place. Usually he was quick to pick up on such things and tie loose ends together. He was the brain afterall. "I..uh...wonder what set it off.."   
  
"It wasn't really a question of what, but whom. We found the alarm had been tampered with, and they took some fingerprint samples, but I doubt they'll be of any use. If you ask me, I would have said the person had to be fairly tall, probably your height, I suppose, because it's pretty high up on the wall, and..." he rambled on, continuing to use a lot of big words and complex sentences that left Rei puzzled, managing to drag the conversation out till they reached the front door, at which point Rei's eyes were fluttering and a bit of drool had formed in the corner of her mouth.   
  
"My height you say? They didn't happen to find any strands of hair or anything...did they?" she asked nervously, one eyebrow twitching as she opened the office door that Jedite was supposedly still hiding inside.   
  
He shrugged. "Those brutish policemen were so eager to shoot someone that I really didn't have a chance to- JADEITE! GET YOUR ASS OFF THAT LEDGE! IT'S NOT WORTH IT!"   
  
Jadeite looked up from the open window where he was perched. "Rei, Zoicite, how nice of you to see me- whoa!" he flailed his arms and steadied himself, causing Zoicite to have a near heart attack.  
  
Zoicite ran over to the window. 'It's okay! I KNOW what to do in these types of situations. Okay...first thing: try to talk him out of it calmly and compassionatly....JADEITE! DON"T KILL YOURSELF OVER HER!" He flung his hand over at Rei. "She's not worth it- okay, she's worth it- if you're straight-, but just the same I-"  
  
"Oh for Pete's sake, Zoicite! I'm not trying to KILL myself!"   
  
Rei, who normally would've found this situation highly amusing and would've teased the living daylights out of Zoicite for his comment (actually, she probably will, later), was unable to laugh because of the situation. Jedite was going to die and she hadn't even had sex with him yet! "If you're not trying to kill yourself, then what ARE you doing?"   
  
Jadeite raised an eyebrow at the odd behavior of the two usuaally rational people. "Well, since you so heartless left me here to die," he feigned wiping a tear away, "I decided to find an alternate route of escape."   
  
"Oh." she paused staring nervously at the ledge. "Well, since you now have a SAFE route, will you please get the hell off of that ledge before you give me a fucking heart attack!"   
  
"Sure thing, honey bunch." He hopped effortlessly off of the ledge and into the office room. "Didn't know you cared...." he winked.   
  
Zoicite ran over and slammed the window shut before hugging Jadeite's feet. "HE"S ALIVE!"   
  
She shrugged. "Good bedmates are hard to come by these days." she smirked, before turning to Zoicite. "You would think I was worth jumping for if you were straight?" Oh yeah, she HAD to tease him on that one.   
  
Zoicite looked up from him place on the ground and blinked before turning bright red. "Leave me alone, Rei! I was trying to get him off the ledge!"  
  
"I could have done that," Jadeite mused.  
  
Zoicite scowled. "I meant by way of the office, not the street!"   
  
"I think it's cute that you find me attractive in the "same" sex sort of way." she laughed, turning to Jedite. "Do you think I'm worth jumping off a building for Jedite?"   
  
"Is there anyone there at the bottom to catch me?"   
  
She shook her head and placed her hands on her hips, "Jadeite!"  
  
He laughed. "Okay, okay. Yes, Rei-chan, I would jump off of a building for you...." he thought for a moment before adding "In fact, I seem to remember one time in Tijuiana...."   
  
Quickly, she ran up to him and covered his mouth with her hand, looking over at Zoicite nervously. "SH! You promised never to mention that again...you know why..." she hinted.   
  
He bit his lip to keep from laughing. Then an evil idea came to him. He flicked his tongue across her palm. "Still hungry?"   
  
Her eyes darkened slightly, forgetting Zoicite's prescence altogether. "Yes, but maybe not for the same thing I was before..."   
  
Zoicite, completely oblivious to anything that was going on bewteen the two of them, suddenly piped up. "I'm hungry! Where are we going?"  
  
Jadeite sighed in frustration, shooting his friend a death glare.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Mamoru shielded his eyes from the glarring sun as he inspected thhe building for signs of a fire. He didn't see any-no smoke, no flames, no nothing- and already a wild rumorthat it was a false alarm was beginning to circulate through the crowds of people. All around them were fire trucks and police cars with concerned faces in them, trying to make heads or tails of this massive confusion. Beside him, Usagi was seemingly debating with herself over an internal conflict.   
  
She sighed, her cheeks still red from their previous encounnter. For some reason her heart was still pounding, what the hell was wrong with her?! "Good thing the fire alarm went off, or who knows how far it would've gone.." She said too herself, not thinking anyone could hear her.   
  
Unfortunatly, Mamoru Chiba, the object of her thoughts, did.   
  
"Far enough so that I wouldn't have stopped for the fire. Good thing the sprinklers went off, or I might not have even stopped THEN..." He said proudly, winking at her out of the coner of his eye.   
  
Her eyes widened at his remark, surprised that she had been heard. Her cheeks turned an even brighter crimson and her eyes narrowed. "You listen Mamoru-baka. That kiss wouldn't have led anywhere! I was ready to end it, but the alarm went off before I could. The thought of kissing you is actually very repulsive, and I can't even believe you kissed me!"   
  
"Oh?" He asked, as though this thought amused him. He closed the distance between them with a single step and narrowed his eyes, licking his lips. Her face was now parallel with his chest, and she was forced to look up at him. It was just what he wanted- a sense of submission. "You mean," he drawled, "this doesn't...entice you? Don't you feel..." he paused before a devilish look crossed his face, "urges?"   
  
"N..n..no.." She breathed, already feeling the affects of him being so close to her. "I-I'm not attracted to you in the least..."   
  
He trailed a finger down the side of her cheek and into the crook of heeer neck, relishing in the shivers it caused. "I don't believe you. Not for one second. In fact," he said, lowering his voice dangerously and poking her gently in the chest, "I bet you can't waist until I get you into bed. I will too..."   
  
She blinked, momentarily disbelieving her ears. Where was her control? Why was she acting like such an innocent? It wasn't like she was a VIRGIN! Wasn't Hell supposed to toughen her up some? She would have to spit out some sort of witty remark to make up for being so inarticulate..."The day I sleep with you is the day I die." Okay, not witty but still a retort of some sort. She had a feeling the that remark hadn't phased him any though...   
  
He threw his head back and laughed. "Get your tombstone ready."   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	10. It's Getting Hot in Here Part B

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. We don't own Sailor Moon, Treize, Victoria's Secret, or Heaven and Hell. ^_~  
  
  
Author Note: It took us F-O-R-E-V-E-R to write this chapter! It's over thirty pages long (probably over fifty but who's counting?) plus we had midterms on top of everything. We are sorry it's so late though. Hopefully the length and steamy scenes will make up for it. *both laugh*  
  
So, how'd you like part A? Was it semi-interesting?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 8- It's Getting Hot in Here (part B)  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Makoto wiped her forehead, smearing some of the makeup on her face.   
  
"Ugh! Makoto, how many times am I going to redo your makeup?!" Treize, her makeup artist, asked annoyedly.   
  
"I'm sorry, it's just so damn hot in here! The lights are making me sweat more..."   
  
"And now your face is all shiny," he groaned, quickling brushing some powder across her face.   
  
"Are you ready YET?" The photographer asked, tapping his foot impatiently.   
  
"Yeah!" Makoto jumped up, happy to escape from Treize's clutches. Another Victoria's Secret shoot was actually a relief for once. Usually she hated baring her all in the sheer lingerie, but the lack of clothes was an unexpected relief from the suffocating heat. She didn't even notice the brown-haired man watching her from the sidelines.   
  
As she took her placei n the center of the floor, her thin robe wrapped tightly around her, Nephrite smiled warmly. He'd seen some of Makoto's work in magazines and on billboards, but now he would finally get to see her 'in action'...but he would never have guessed just how accurate his words would be.   
  
The photographer clapped his hands. "Ready?"   
  
"Ready!" She shouted.   
  
"And...action!"   
  
Makoto shrugged out of the robe that was covering her body to reveal a black negligee and fishnet, thigh-high stockings.   
  
Nephrite's jaw hit the ground.   
  
Fans started blowing softly, causing her long, chestnut hair to billow out around her frame. She looked up through her lashes, and she smiled in an innocent yet promising way.   
  
"Oh, good baby. Now lean down, yes. Show a bit more cleavage...There we go!" The photographer shouted as he circled her. "Come on Makoto, I want sultry now. Make me want to have sex with you...PERFECT!" He downed a glass of cold water as he brought out the video camera.   
  
Makoto's hands ran down the sides of her form, as she smiled at the camera seductively. "Body, by Victoria..." She slowly lifted her hands up over her head, giving the on looker a perfect view. "All you see is curves."   
  
"That's a wrap! Genius Makoto!" She smiled at the photographer and grabbed a bottled water, sitting down in a chair to rest for a few minutes.   
  
Nephrite had LONG since begun to hypervenilate, the years had been good to Makoto. She had already been a curvy woman when he last saw her, but now...Woah. He was gradually getting his breathing under control, only to be replaced with generral confusion. If women were supposed to be the target audience for this kind of crap, then why was it so appealing to men? It didn't make sense...although on a second thought, he felt an uncontrolable urge to run out and buy this crap-not for him of course, but for his girlfriend-not that he had one.   
  
He tapped her on the shoulder, dying to see what her reaction would be. "I find your career choice to be quite amusing, Makoto..."   
  
She dropped her water bottle in surprise (good thing it had been closed), and it rolled across the floor. She looked up at him and smiled when she realized who it was. "Nephrite!" She jumped up, wrapping her arms around him. Her lack of clothes was momentarily forgotten.   
  
By her anyway.   
  
As she embraced him, he found his face buried in her soft, brown tresses, every inch of her bare skin pressed against him. For a few moments, it was like no time had passed between them. It was like it was three years ago, as she lay in his arms, staring up at the sky, with only a thin sheet to cover their bare bodies.   
  
But that was three years ago, and it was as if an entire heavenly body stood between them. But for that one instant.   
  
"Hello," he greeted.   
  
"You've come to relieve me of my duties?" she laughed, pulling away to look at him.   
  
"It's your duty?" He asked inredulously, his eyes once again assesing her clothing- or lack of it.   
  
"Yes, my duty," she beamed. "To show true beauty to the world." She said in mock seriousness, her hands resting on her hips.   
  
He poked her shoulder and laughed. "You've certainly been showing a lot of it lately, huh?"   
  
She blushed, finally realizing her lack of clothes, and quickly wrapped her robe around her scantily-clad form. "So, um...was there a particular reason you stopped by?"   
  
Nephrite shrugged. "Had a few hours off...heard there was a shoot today." he positioned his elbows on a nearby table and stretched lazily, trying to cover up the fact that he had come in specificly to see her...but just why he didn't know..   
  
"Oh."   
  
"Yeah, those guards at the entrance? You might want to think about hiring some new ones..imagine, any creep off the street with a few bucks in his pocket could have gotten in here to see you so...so..exposed. Think of the tabloids!" It had sounded harsher than he meant it, but he couldn't bear the thought of her getting hurt.   
  
Her eyes narrowed, "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself Nephrite!" Suddenly, this seemed too familiar. The fights from years ago, always being about the same things: drugs and the bad influences of her friends. Did she want to start them all over again? "I'm sorry Nephriite. I know you're just worried, though I'm not sure why. I've been looking for a bodyguard, but they're rare lately..."   
  
Makoto's words subconciously brightened his disposition.A chance to be around her more often, knowing she would be safe...   
  
But he was being selfish. No matter what happened between the two of them...the mission had to come first. Always. Even...even if it meant through her. He shuddered, the thoughts that had been plaguing him ever since he had discovered their missions were related returning. If it came down to it, could he sacrifice her for it?   
  
"I'll have to decline...I have some priorities.." God, he hated the way he had phrased that. He hated sounding like a prick to those he cared most about...   
  
"Don't worry about it," she smiled. "I've already been talking to Kunzite. Apparently, he needs the money." She laughed. "So, wanna let me change and then we can go back to my place?"   
  
Wait. She's been TALKING to Kunzite?! Ah well. No use-the poor boy wasn't any good for gossip. But perhaps he could use it to his advantage later.   
  
"D-do I wanna come to your place?" He reiterated, his mind desperatly searching for an appropriate response. "Uh...sure."   
  
"Cool, just let me slip into something a little more conservative." She walked into her dressing room. It was so good to see him again...she walked out and closed the door to her dressing room behind her. "Ready?" She chirped, bouncing up to him in a short, purple mini skirt and a matching tank top that was just short enough to show off her pierced navel. Her purple flip flops clacked against her heals noisily.   
  
"Kino Makoto! THAT'S conservative?!" He cried, pointing to her ring, even more distressed to see her amused look.   
  
"Of course!" She giggled. "You should see some of the dresses they make me wear. The neck lines are so low that they literally have to glue the fabric to my chest to keep something from popping out."   
  
"I can only imagine," he said, shaking his head. He sighed and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Makoto...I'm sorry. I should be glad that I'm able to see you and spend time with you...not persecute you like this. I've just...always been a little protective of you."   
  
"So, you really don't like it at all?" She asked, interlacing one of her arms with his.   
  
"I've always thought you were beautiful, Makoto. I-I guess maybe I'm just a tad jealous?"   
  
"Jealous?" She laughed. "Trust me, you have nothing to be jealous of. I mean, you were the only one I-," she cut herself off. "Well, you and Lucifer."   
  
"Was he-I mean..." he trailed off, too embarassed to finish his question. It wasn't really his business anyway, and he certainly didn't want her to be thinking of HIM now...   
  
"So...which side of town do you live in?" He asked dumbly, berating himself for such a quick response.   
  
  
"Um...downtown.."She paused a minute, not wanting to go into detail just yet. She was a little afraid that her style of living might intimidate him. "Do you mind taking the limo? Or did you have other plans?"   
  
Nephrite blinked. "L-limo? Uh....noo....the limo's just....  
fine..." he trailed off as they stepped outside and the white limosine pulled up  
next to the sidewalk. A hairy, burly man with sunglasses and several tattoos  
stepped out and ushered Makoto in and gave Nephrite a threatening glare.   
  
"Thank you, Bob." she smiled, sliding across the seat to make  
room for Nephrite. She waited until he was inside and the door was closed to  
turn and look at him curiously. "So..ever been in a limo before?" Reaching over  
to grab a remote she pressed a few buttons and a wide screen tv with dvd player  
and a huge stereo suddenly came into view.   
  
His eyes kind of glazed over at the massive amounts of technology before him. A stereo system was making scary little beeping noises in front of him, but he didn't dare touch it. He didn't dare touch anything in the vehicle- it all looked too valuable and expensive. "So...you must be doing very well as a model, eh?"   
  
"I'm doing okay." she smiled warmly. "I'm one of the most sought out models right now, but I'm mostly just allowed to do business with Usagi Tsukino." Hitting a button, music started playing softly so that there was some noise, but they could still concentrate. "What have you been doing to amuse yourself. I mean, you're working, right?"   
  
Nephrite paled and smiled sheepishly. The truth was that he had just arrived on Earth two days ago, and hadn't found establishments or a job. But he couldn't tell her this of course; it would make him seem pathetic. "I'm...doing okay," he said witha smile. "I don't have a limo or a body guard yet, per se, but I'm working on it." He smiled.   
  
"Yeah, I just got amazingly lucky. You and the guys can come stay over anytime you want. I mean, I have over fifteen guestrooms. Who knows what I'll use them for." she laughed. "I'm almost never home." The door opened as the limo came to a stop and she nodded thanks to Bob before stepping out. "Welcome to my 'humble' abode." she said gesturing to a white mansion that overlooked the harbor.   
  
"Whoa..." He stepped out of the car and shielded his eyes to take in the estate. "That's about as big of an understatement as you can get," he said, raising an eyebrow at what appeared to be a fountain inside a little courtyard in front of her house. It was a marble statue of a devil, with two horns and a tail, who was grinning his mischivious smile and spitting water into a tiny pool. "So...do you, like, have your own area code or something?"   
  
She laughed. "Nope. My summer house in Italy does though." she winked at him, casually walking up to the door. "Please think about it at least. I'm sure the house would be less lonely with you guys here." she said almost pleadingly, struggling slightly with the key as she attempted to unlock the door.   
  
Nephrite tapped his finger against his lip. 'If I do remember, the last time you said that, the entire senior class showed up on your doorstep with ten kegs of alcohol and a death wish."   
  
"Yes, you think I would've learned my lesson by now." she lazily threw her keys onto one of the tables and kicked her shoes off her feet, letting her toes sink into the plush carpet. "I also remember 'someone' getting so insanely drunk that night, that he insisted he could fly...well..that led to the E.R...pain...agony.." she giggled uncontrollably.   
  
He glared. "I do not believe I would have GOTTEN intoxicated in the first place if 'someone' had not insisted that I try that wonderful glass of punch over there..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll be damned if it didn't hurt like hell though. Oh well. Wasn't it worth it to see Jadeite confess his 'true feelings' for me?" He snorted. "About how much he loved me, man?" He burst into laughter.   
  
"Completely!" her head popped over the back of the couch to look at him, her cheeks slightly pink from laughing so hard. "I missed all of you so incredibly much. Especially you Nephrite..." she trailed off, hugging one of the couch pillows to her chest before lying back down so that she was out of his view once more.   
  
"I know. Everyone misses me!" He jumped onto the couch, but missed and landed with his legs in a split on the floor. His face became twisted in pain as he realized that this was a position no man should EVER be in- unless he was specially trained. He whimpered and dragged himself onto the side of the couch, leaning against her shoulder for support.   
  
"You clutz." she laughed, lying him down in hopes that will help. "I would offer some ice...but I don't think that would be especially helpful in this particular scenario..." she bit her bottom lip in concentration.  
  
"What are you implying, Makoto?" he asked, laughter in his eyes.   
  
She instantly blushed. "I..I...Oh you!" she hit him in the face with the pillow she had been holding. "It is so like you to twist my words."  
  
He covered his face. "You walked into it," he teased. He caught the pillow and held it still. "You're blushing still!" he laughed.   
  
"I ALWAYS blush when I'm around you Neph-" she cut herself off, hoping to distract him by climbing onto the couch and straddling him, hitting him repeatedly with the pillow.  
  
"OWOWOW!" he cried out as his sat on his injured area.   
  
"I'm sorry." she laughed, sliding up to his stomach, never relenting her pillow attack.   
  
"You devil, you are not!" he yelled, smiling and grabbing another pillow to fight back with. Occasionally he shielded himself with it to, but as he was not much of a defensive person, went straight for the attack.   
  
They continued fighting like this for a few minutes before, out of breath, they dropped their weapons. Makoto lied down completely on top of him and smiled when his arms encircled her waist.  
  
Silence.  
  
She contemplated something for awhile, trying to decide whether or not was a good time to ask. 'Oh what the hell.' "Nephrite...what's Heaven like?"  
  
Nephrite sighed and smiled faintly, the type of smile that only angels possess, pure and righteous. "Heaven...is exactly what people make it out to be...only better. Heaven is the most euphoric place...I can't even describe it. In Heaven, everything is right, for the most part. There is no war, no hunger, no lust, no jealousy...it's perfection...or, it was..."  
  
"What do you mean...'was'?" she asked curiously.   
  
He furrowed his brows in thought. "This....this guy, who was never supposed to enter the Gates of Heaven, did. We don't exactly know how, but we couldn't very well send him back- you know the council, they've forever got a pole up their backside- and so we were stuck with the little imp." He looked like he was trying not to smile. "The psycho ran amuck, causing chaos among the kingdom, making all of our lives extremely difficult."   
  
"Sounds kinda like the pure one." she laughed, now finding the nickname almost ridiculous. "This girl, came down to Hell. And I can safely say that just by looking at her you would immeadiatly know she didn't belong. Supposedly, she had never committed a single sin in her entire life. The council really screwed that one up." she sighed. "Lucifer adopted her as his mistress, she's the one we're trailing now.."   
  
He chuckled. "Yeah...I got stuck babysitting the devil, too...my orders are, and I quote 'Make sure he doesn't start another war.' So...what's hell like?" he asked slowly and cautiously, as if he were afraid of offending her by mentioning it.   
  
"It's different. I don't know...I tend to try and forget about it..." She paused for a minute, as if weighing her words. "Heaven sounds so wonderful...I always wanted to go there. Not that I deserved it." she smiled weakly, again allowing an awkward silence to take over for a few minutes. "Nephrite...do...do..do you think that you could ever forgive me?" she whispered, all the awful memories of her previous life and the crash flooding back instantly. She had been the one driving, she had killed all of them. It was her fault. Crystalline tears made slowly made their ways down her cheeks as she silently pleaded for something from him she would never be able to give herself.   
  
Forgiveness.   
  
The sight of her in such pain ripped Nephrite's heart in two. He grabbed one of her hands and slowly ran his thumb in small circles over the back on it, not speaking for a few moments. After he had collected his thoughts, he cleared his throat, not trusting his voice entirely. "I remember...I remember being so angry at first." When he saw the look on her face, he quickly began again. "Not because of my own demise...but because of yours. And the others. The guys...they wanted to forget it all. They put it all in the back of their minds. But I tortured myself for days, thinking 'why hadn't I stopped her?' I blamed myself, I...I don't know. But somewhere along the line, I forgave myself." He stopped and looked her in the eye. "Makoto, I forgive you. I hope that you can forgive me as well..." his eyes began to water and his voice cracked.   
  
She wanted so bad to be able to hold him then, to assure him that she would never leave his side. Oh, how she wanted to be with him, to wake up to his smile every morning and come home to him every day. But no, it had been to long. His world was no longer hers. Though she felt the love and the passion for him rekindling in her heart, she knew he could not possibly feel the same way. So, despite her feelings, she just hugged him tighter, allowing the tears to flow more freely. "How could I not forgive you? You have done nothing Nephire, nothing! I was the one who ruined everything, I was the one who killed us." she choked, "I should have listened to you when you told me to stop going to those parties and get off drugs..but...but I didn't understand...I should have though, and this time I'm going to do things right." she sniffled softly, her hands grasping loosely to the material of his shirt. She looked up at him, her eyes still partially glazed over with tears, and her cheeks flushed.   
  
"I've waited forever to hear that," he whispered, trying to force a smile. And he meant it. He reached up and pulled her to him, holding her for a while. He liked to think it was for her sake, but deep down, he needed it too. Nephrite softly stroked her hair as he listened to the sound of her ragged breathing quieting down.   
  
"I'm sorry I brought on such a sad conversation.." she smiled weakly, feeling soothed by his stroking. He had always been able to calm her before, and she loved him for it. Wait. She loved him? No...not again. She shook her head weakly, shutting her eyes. She had only been with him a couple of hours and already the world 'love' was slipping back into her vocabularly?! Love was so evil...   
  
"No- it's good...it's good to get it out. I think we both needed to say it...and hear each other. I never forgot... And Makoto? I believe in you. I believe you'll do what you said. I would never lose faith in you....ever...."   
  
"You don't know how much that means to me, Nephrite. After seeing you at the foodcourt, I was so worried you were going to hate me for what I had become. I hate myself for it..."   
  
Oh. Right. That minor detail had momentarily escaped his attention. As much as he tried to push it out of his mind, the thought of Makoto with Lucifer, the sworn enemy of Heaven, being touched, fondled...it- it disturbed him. It made him uneasy. "I could never hate you...but....you...um...."   
  
She looked up at him curiously, silently wondering what could have caused an eloquent man, such as Nephrite, to be reduced to a stuttering fool. "But what?"   
  
"-but....you don't still...have feelings for him...do you?" He needed to hear it from her lips. That it meant nothing to her....he hoped.   
  
"I never had 'feelings' for him, Nephrite. I was simply an object to be used when he wanted me. Sickening though it may sound, while I was down there it didn't bother me in the least. It sickens me now, though. I'm not sure why I didn't think of it in this light...maybe some enchantments or something. I'm not sure. I do know that when I was with him, it was nothing. It was not love, like, or anything. Just sex." she said it bluntly, knowing that this information couldn't be sugar coated. But he had asked..   
  
He sighed. It did bother him, more so than he had hoped. But if what she had said was true (and he knew deep down it was), then it didn't matter. She wasn't a part of that life anymore... "So...Makoko...now that you have a second chance, what do you want to do with your life?"   
  
"So many things..." her eyes shimmered softly as she stared off into space, imagining the things she wished for. "I want to become a chef and own my own bakery. I also want to own a flower shop, because I love gardening. Eventually, I'll want to get married and have kids and stuff...but that all depends on the mission." she sighed. She hated having her life dictated by a girl's ignorance to the world around her.   
  
"The mission," he restated, contempt in his voice. "Of course. It's not without a price, is it?" he asked. "I want...to do the things I never got a chance to...go to college, get insanely drunk, and do normal things. I want to be able to go outside and look at the stars everynight, from Earth, and wonder again the things I used to wonder."  
  
She smiled then, resting her head on his chest once more and relishing the feel of being in his arms. How had she ever let him go? Would she be able to do so again? Slowly, she let her eyelids close as sleep claimed her suddenly.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Ami blinked, looking over the top of her book to see firetrucks and police cars crowded into the parking lot of the place Usagi was supposed to be meeting Mamoru that morning. "Oh great..." she sighed. It would be just her luck. She had slept in one time. ONCE! And of course Usagi would have to die in a fire on that very day. She was about ready to curse, for the first time ever, when she noticed that there was no smoke or flames. Could it have been a false alarm? That's when she saw a rather flushed Usagi standing next to a dark-haired man who was whispering into her ear. Obviously, he was the cause of her discomfort. Oh, this could be interesting...   
  
She closed her book and tucked it into her satchet before walking close enough to where Usagi and the black-haired gentlemen were standing so that she could catch peices of their conversation. She was in dire need of gossip.   
  
"You just can't wait until I get you in the sack, and I WILL too.." Ami raised an eyebrow at the remark made by the young man. That was some personality. She almost died laughing at the irony of it all. Usagi and him were perfect for eachother.   
  
"The day I sleep with you is the day I die!" Yup, they were DEFINITLY perfect for one another. And, was it her, or were they slowly moving closer to one another?   
  
"Get your tombstone ready..." They WERE moving closer! Hmm..interesting. She would have to tell the other girls about this...she smiled. Hopefully, she'd get to catch a bit more of their conversation...   
  
Usagi rolled her eyes. "You really are an arrogant bastard, you know that? I mean, seriously, thinking that every female wants to sleep with you..." she felt herself finally gaining control again. Maybe she could work this in her favor..."But..I can't help but see why..."she said seductively, looking up at him through her lashes.   
  
He placed his hands on his hips and laughed. Oh wait. She was batting her eyelashes again? "O-of course you can't..." He grinned. "See? I told you nothing in a skirt can resist my charms...not even you yourself..."   
  
"No...I guess not..." she moved a little closer to him, "You're so handsome, smart, and..." she stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, her lips softly brushing it as she spoke.."sexy..."   
  
Ami almost gagged as she watched them. They were as bad as Rei and Jadeite, yet twice as fun to watch. Well...no. She took that back. Rei and Jadeite were really amusing as well.  
  
Ami was not the only person interested in their conversation. Others around the pair were begining to turn their heads and took a step back, encircling them. Mamoru was too busy to notice. For a half second, he began to feel those feelings again...but he quickly shook them off. Two could certainly play at this game...and after all, he had written the rulebook, hadn't he?   
  
"Mmm..." He touched his chin to his chest and looked straight into her eyes, narrowing them a bit. His broad shoulders towered above her, and a tuft of his jet black hair partally covered one of his eyes, giving him a mysterious aura.   
  
"Completely so." she saw him faltering and she relished the feeling of dragging him into submission once more. She stepped back from him, as if nothing had happened, and she began chatting randomly. "Well, since we're going to be investing money in one another, I guess I should tell you about my inspiration whims. You see, my inspiration is basically based on my sex life. If I have good sex, I produce good sketches." she said this all nonchalantly. "I guess you'll have to make sure my sex life stays up to par Mamoru." she winked.   
  
He blinked, and looked as if he was trying to get his mind to grasp the concept...sex equals inspiration? Slowly a smile spread across his face. There was more to this broad than met the eye, apparently... He raised an eyebrow. "You have sex...and then your creativity starts working?" He laughed, remembering some of her more recent sketches. "Are you sure you have room for me in your...busy scheduale?" He threw his head back and laughed.   
  
"And who said I was going to allow you in it?" she smirked. "All I said was that you'd have to make sure it stayed active. I guess if I'm desperate I'll let you fill in at some point. But that's only if my sketches get REALLY bad again. It's not like you could do much for me anyway, not after sleeping with Luc-...." she stopped herself, looking down at the ground. She had been able to avoid thinking about him for awhile now, why did she have to bring him up NOW?!   
  
"Lucy?" he finished for her. "Good Lord, girl! I didn't know you were THAT despara-"   
  
"No, you baka!" she smacked him on the arm. "I'm sorry to disappoint you and squander such a lovely fantasy but I'm referring to Luke...an old flame. I know you could never compare to. Especially in bed.." she covered quickly, hoping that it had been smooth enough to avert his attention to defending his ego.   
  
"Now that," he said, "I would have to see for myself. Especially considering how much you seemed to enjoy that kiss in my off-" Ooh. Bad idea. Coworkers around? Nope, not the time, NOT the place.  
  
Noticing his discomfort she smiled evilly and continued in a rather loud voice, "The kiss? Oh yes, it felt so good Mamoru. The feel of your body pressed against mine, your lips capturing my own, before your tongue broke that barrier..." she looked at him mockingly as she continued, the smile still in place.   
  
"Eh heh..." he looked around uneasily. "Miss Tsukino, please, I am not interested in hearing the actual details of your 'flames.'" He grabbed her arm and yanked her through the crowd. "I don't care how much you hate me, but I will NOT lose my company simply because you hold a grudge against me," he hissed.   
  
"Oh? So you would like to continue this fight elsewhere? Dinner tomorrow? I'd love to. At the Moon Palace? Wow, that's a posh resteraunt. Sounds fabulous. Pick me up tomorrow at eight!" she laughed, scampering away as quickly as she could, rejoicing the idea of a free meal from a place she had been dying to try.   
  
Mamoru stood there, speechless. Had- had she just asked him out? Or had HE asked her out? He didn't quite remember doing so, but that was the impression he got. He shrugged. Either way, he had scored, whether or not intentionally was undecided. So what kind of restaurant was posh exactly?   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	11. It's Getting Hot in Here Part C

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. We don't own Sailor Moon, Treize, Victoria's Secret, or Heaven and Hell. ^_~  
  
  
Author Note: It took us F-O-R-E-V-E-R to write this chapter! It's over thirty pages long (probably over fifty but who's counting?) plus we had midterms on top of everything. We are sorry it's so late though. Hopefully the length and steamy scenes will make up for it. *both laugh*  
  
So, how'd you like part B? Was it semi-interesting?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 8- It's Getting Hot in Here (part C)  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Kunzite sat on the couch, propping his head up with his hand and flipping through some ads in the newspaper. There was no excuse. He needed a job. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon one that seemed to jump out at him. Well, that was probably because he recognized the name instantly- Kino Makoto- one of the most prominent Tsukino models in the city. "She's looking for a bodyguard?" he mused to himself.   
  
He tore the ad out of the paper and stuffed it into his pocket for later use. "Minako, are you almost ready?" he called towards the bathroom.   
  
"Yeah, just a few more minutes..." she called back. Of course, in girl language, that meant another half hour or so. She giggled, hearing his sigh, and continued the tedious task of applying her makeup.   
  
"So...remind me again just WHY we're meeting your boyfriend? Why am I going? i don't want to date him..." he looked up sharply. 'Mina, I KNOW you wouldn't be trying to set me up again like you did that one time..."   
  
"Oh....of course not...." she said in a voice that wasn't particularly assuring. "Oh, and by the way, please don't tell him about Robert, Daniel, Eric, Billy, James, or Peter."   
  
"Or Jose or Carl?"   
  
"Oh yeah...them too." she came out of the bathroom in a silver, strapless gown with a slit that went up to her underwear line. It would've made his eyes pop when they had been going out, and she was hoping it would do the same for some other guys at the restaraunt. She placed her hands on her hips. "And how is it that you know my boyfriends better than I do?"   
  
He folded his arms over his chest. "I was looking in the refridgerator and found your address book," he said, turning his attention to her outfit. "And you're going out in public in that?"   
  
"Of course. What, you don't like it?" she pouted, slowly turning in a circle so he could so that the back of the dress went all the way down to her waist, revealing lots of creamy skin.   
  
His eyes darted back and forth. "It shows too much skin," he complained. "And the neckline is a little low, and.." he went on. Kunzite's relationship with Minako perplexed him, even as it had done three years ago. Even when they were dating, he'd always looked upon her as a friend, no, a sister. He was extremely protective of her, and this was one of the reasons he had agreed to go with her to meet her boyfriend- there was a major inspection in order.   
  
"If you think it shows too much skin, then it's absolutely perfect." She smiled widely, wrapping arms around him. It really hadn't taken her that long to get used to the fact that he was gay. It was almost as if she had known all along...who knows, maybe she had. "Thanks for coming with me tonight Kunzite." she pulled away, grabbing her evelope purse off the table. "I'm finally ready, by the way."   
  
He checked his watch. "New record!" He high fived her before straightening his tie. "You do look very nice," he admited reluctantly on their way out the door. "So who is this guy exactly, anyway?"   
  
"You know that guy who plays Jack on that tv show Will and Grace...."   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Zoicite, completely oblivious to anything that was going on bewteen the two of them, suddenly piped up. "I'm hungry! Where are we going?"   
  
Jadeite sighed in frustration, shooting his friend a death glare.   
  
Rei blinked and turned to look at Zoicite and then back at Jadeite with a 'get-rid-of-him' expression on her face. She wrapped her arm in his and ran her fingertips up his arm lazily, glaring slightly at Zoicite. "Who said we were taking YOU for lunch."   
  
Zoicite blinked, stunned for a moment, then looked hurt. "Fine, I see how it is. I'm just in the way. Oh well. I'll be going now..." he slowly began to drag his feet across the floor to the exit. He turned around and looked back, his face filled with pain. "Bye." He disappeared around the door. Moments passed. He poked his head back around the corner and said, "I'm leaving for good this time." He disappeared.   
  
Silence.   
  
"DAMMIT, I'm LEAVING!" He popped back into the doorway and began waving his arms wildly.   
  
Jadeite laughed and turned to look at Rei with pleading eyes.   
  
Rei sighed defeatedly, letting her arms fall from Jadeite's. "Fine, but you are soooo treating Zoicite!" suddenly she got a surprised look on her face and she pulled something out of her back pocket. "Oh, I almost forgot. Me and the girls got you a card." she smiled, handing it to him.   
  
"A card? For me?" he said in a southern drawl. "Well, I do declare, Miss Hino, you are my hero." He wrapped his arms around her neck and giggled, then pulled away to read the card.   
  
She nodded, the smile still on her face as she anticipated his reaction. When he opened the card, it looked innocent enough. The front said "Welcome Back" in gold, cursive letters and there was a pretty design of intricate flowers, each of the girls' favorite colors, on it. He flipped open the inside, his eyes widening at what he read. 'Hey Kunzite, Zoicite. We missed you guys!!!! We really only have one thing to say to you though: Welcome to the dark side. ^_~ The girls.'   
  
Zoisite's eyes scanned the card, then snapped up to Rei, then back to the card, then to Rei again. Pure shock was registered on his face. "The DARK side?"  
  
"Yup. You're one of us now, Zoicite!" she smiled, winking at him. "Homosexuality is a sin you know."   
  
He blinked. "It most certainly is NOT!"   
  
Jadeite shook his head to himself. "She's just rattling your cage, Zoi-"   
  
"AND WHY DO YOU KEEP PICKING ON US?!"   
  
It is so." pulls a copy of the Bible out of Jedite's back pocket. "You guys actually carries these EVERYWHERE?!" she shook her head before flipping through some pages and shoving it at Zoicite. "See? It's a sin, you can go to Hell for it."   
  
Zoicite's eyes scanned the line. "Who so ever shall lie wit-" his head snapped up. "YOU TOLD THEM THAT, TOO?" He looked incredulously at Jadeite, who was grinning sheepishly and looking for the nearest exit. That window was startin' to look appealing again.   
  
"So, it's true?! I thought he was kidding!!"   
  
Jadeite, in an attempt to dig himself out of his hole, sucked his teeth. "Ooh, you just WALKED into that one."   
  
"This is priceless!" she clapped her hands. "I just thought you to were attracted to one another, I didn't think you actually-" she broke off into a fit of giggles.   
  
Zoicite started to shake with anger. "I can handle Rei teasing me about it....." He clenched his fist. "But you said you wouldn't tell anyone!" he cried, lunging for Jadeite's throat.   
  
Rei blinked, looking at the two of them rolling on the floor. "Zoicite, if you castrate him then I won't have a playmate anymore!"   
  
Jadeite yelled and fell backwards and began crawling around on the floor, searching for something to defend himself with. "HELP ME REI!"   
  
Zoicite picked a penknife out of a coffee mug on a nearby desk and it glittered dangerously in the dim light of the room.   
  
"Didd you even see what happened to my favorite jeans yesterday?! I so am NOT letting this outfit get ruined. Besides, I'm wearing a skirt, what the hell am I supposed to do-ZOICITE! PUT THAT KNIFE DOWN OR YOU'LL EXPERIENCE HELL ON EARTH!"   
  
Zoicite stopped and looked around. Jadeite, not being the brightest of all fellows under pressure, reached for the Bible and held it to his face as a shield.   
  
Rei's mind raced as she tried to think of some sort of question or ANYTHING that would get them to stop fighting..."Wow, so this is what man to man sex looks like!" she winked. "Sexy!"   
  
Jadeite set the book aside and stood up, his previous fear of Zoicite's wrath gone. "Now just one minute!" he yelled, his blood pressure rising.   
  
Zoicite spun around and laughed. "Ah HA!" he pointed at her.   
  
"It worked, yay!" she jumped in the air and clapped her hands in a momentary loss of her normal 'cool non-caring' personality. "So, can we go eat now, I'm soooo starving!"   
  
Zoicite and Jadeite looked at each other and blinked. "Hey, don't look at me, man, I don't get `em either! Zoicite said, raising his arms in defence.   
  
"Uh....okay....where are we going?"   
  
"Crazy."   
  
"I meant to eat, stupid!"   
  
"Here." she dragged them both into the first place they came too, which just happened to be a pizza parlor. "Pizza!" she practically drooled as she looked over the menu. She got her mindset on what she wanted and looked at Jedite curiously. "So tell me, is anything but gay sex allowed in heaven? I mean, did you have any "playmates" up there?" she laughed. "I can't imagine you living for three years without one."   
  
"Oh, it's not forbidden...'technically'...." Zoicite started.   
  
"But it is frowned upon. Only married couples do it....no one else really thinks about it. You just....have other things to do. It's different. In Heaven, we don't NEED Earthly pleasures such as sex. It's already a euphoric paradise without it."   
  
She nearly choked. "So you DID go three years without it?!" she laughed. "I'm impressed. Even Ami had it at least once a month with one demon or another, and you know how shy SHE is." She said carelessly, forgetting Zoicite's old relationship with Ami.   
  
"What?" the long haired saint asked rather sharply.   
  
"Oh." she bit her bottom lip, realizing her mistake. "I'm sorry Zoicite...I didn't think.." she trailed off, looking down at her hands and taking a long sip from her drink.   
  
"It's different....you remember how you said in Hell, sex is just common? Like a greeting? Well, in Heaven, sex is just something that we joke about when we're refering to humans, and how pathetic their lives are, that they have to rely on it. We almost NEVER acually think about it," Jadeite said, trying to head off the conflict.   
  
"It's so completely different in Hell. Sex is considered more of a natural thing, something even just casual friends do with one another to try and learn and understand about a person better. And what better way to do so then to explore them when they're most vulnerable?" she shook her head. "I feel so different now that I'm back on Earth though, everything's different..." she looked over at Jedite. "Since sex is such a joke, I'm guessing you WON'T be visiting me every once in awhile?" she raised an eyebrow mockingly.  
  
Zoicite propped his head up with his hand and yawned. He laughed. "Are you kidding? You should see his calen...uh....his..." he trailed off slowly as Jadeite turned slightly pale.   
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Calendar?" she let a hand fall down and massage his leg suggestively before slipping into one of his pockets and pulling out something. "A day planner...is this it?" she opened it curiously. "Hm...let's see. I wonder what's on this calendar of yours..."   
  
"No!" He reached out for his and grabbed in vain, trying to retrieve his calendar, before she opened it...   
  
Too late. She flipped open to the first page and her eyes filled with amusement.   
  
"Noo.." he said weakly.   
  
Zoicite turned to him. "Relax, man. She won't know that you're keeping your calendar blank in case she asks you out so you'll always be free."   
  
"You are? Aw, that's so sweet Jedite. Maybe our relationship WAS based on something more than awesome sex." she gave him back the planner, sliding it across the table.   
  
However, Jadeite was too busy trying to land a punch on Zoicite's face to notice what she said. "She does now, you RETARD!"   
  
Just then, the waitress appeared. "Yay, now we get to order," Zoicite said, moving his head to the side so that Jadeite slammed his fist into the wall. An unsettling crunching sound was heard.   
  
Rei winced at the noise. "Stop being stupid, Jedite. He owed you one anyway for telling me about his and Kunzite's sex life." she handed the waitress her menu. "I'll have two spinach and cheese calzones with a slice of pepperoni and a large order of breadsticks." she smiled cheekily. "What about you guys?"   
  
The two men exchanged glances.   
  
"That's disgusting!"   
  
"I don't know why you girls are so obsessed with dieting..."   
  
They looked at the waitress eagerly. "We'll have the most fattening thing on the menu!"   
  
The waitress raised an eyebrow and scribbled something on the notepad. "Anything else?"   
  
"So you missed me Jedite?" she smiled at him, her hands returning to his thigh to massage it gently with her fingertips.   
  
"What's with all the rhetoric questions?" he asked, smiling wryly. "Haven't I asnwered this one yet?"   
  
"Yes, I suppose, but you keep dodgiing the actual question." She sighed. "Did you miss ME or the sex?"   
  
"Listen to me," Zoicite began, "Don't answer that. There is ONE thing I know about women..."   
  
"Only because you ARE one," Jadeite muttered.   
  
"Now what was that?" he cried angrily.   
  
"Now you are BOTH circumventing the question!" Rei said, glaring.   
  
Jadeite twidled his thumbs nervously. He loosened his collar. "Well, of course I missed you," he said, giving Zoicite a swift kick under the table.   
  
"You still didn't-food!" She quickly dove into the calzone set down in front of her. She munched away happily, the waitress looking at her funny as she did soo. She glared at the waitress who scuttled away quickly. "Mmm..." she groaned softly, closing her eyes. Jadeite and Zoicite looked at her, jaws agape, but probably for different reasons.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Usagi bit her bottom lip, deep in thought as she took a long sip of her coffee. It had been a rather eventful day, but whether or not that was a good thing was still undecided. She HAD enjoyed the kiss, but she really didn't want to get involved with Mamoru. He was too much of an asshole. Normally she would've been able to brush it off and move onn, but for some reason she hadn't been able to get him out of her mind.   
  
It scared her.   
  
'I won't worry about that now, I'm too tired...'She crawled into bed and closed her eyes, praying for peaceful dreams.   
  
But God wasn't listening.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"U-Usako...I-I-I can't do it..." Mamoru looked down at his hands.   
  
"Don't think about it Mamo-chan. Just let it happen," she kissed him softly, crawling into his lap. Reluctantly, he returned the kiss, his eyes closing. She smiled, tears of irony falling slowly down her cheeks. The steel of a blade felt cold against her neck, and she pulled him closer to her in response. It pierced her neck slightlyat her sudden movement, and she cried out as a few drops of blood slid down her neck onto the white sheets. He released the knife and hugged her to him.   
  
"Usako, no! I won't do it, I can't."   
  
"Mamo-chan," she whispered softly, picking up the knife and cradling it in her hands. "This is how it was meant to be, and how it should be..."   
  
"No!" He choked, his eyes filling with tears.   
  
"Good must always conquer over evil." She smiled, her slender fingers wrapping around the hilt of the blade. "We'll meet again, love."   
  
"Where?" She shrugged.   
  
"Heaven, hell, or somewhere in between." She drove the knife into her heart, watching him cry out as her eyes started dulling.   
  
"I love you, Usako!" He cried out, as her world went dark.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"No!" Usagi cried as she sat up, waking in a cold sweat. She looked around and saw that she was in her own room. Sighing in relief her eyes widened when she felt a slight pain in her neck.   
  
It was hurting where the blade had stabbed her in the dream.   
  
Paranoid, she crawled out of bed and quickly ran over to her mirror to inspect it. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the mirror.   
  
Instead of her reflection, she saw Lucifer. 


	12. Hot Date, Cold Feet Part A

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somwhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality/Drama/Comedy  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own Sailor Moon or any religious stuff...um...someone else probably has it copyrighted. I wonder...is there a copyright on Heaven and Hell? I should look into that...   
  
Author Note: Ah, so we're late, but guess what? This will be another more than one part story cause it is soooooo long. Yes, terribly, terribly long. We've actualyl had it done for awhile (yeah, our NEXT chapter is almost done) just a lot of files were misplaced and...yeah...you know how THAT goes. ^_^  
  
Dedication: We'd like to dedicate this chapter to Nataku's moldy sandwhich (it's been in there for weeks!) Nata: Stara made me throw it away...*sniffle* Stara: Please woman, that thing needed to die!   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 9- Hot Date, Cold Feet Part A  
  
She fainted.  
  
Lucifer blinked, surprised at her reaction. "Well, that's not what I had been  
expecting..." he thought, a smile playing on his lips. She always was full of  
surprises. Picking her up, he walked over to the bed and set her down before  
crawling up next to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and stroked her  
hair, watching her as she slept. "I missed you, Serenity..."  
  
A couple hours later Usagi started slipping back into consciousness, awaking  
from a dreamless sleep. She was faintly aware of strong arms holding her close  
and warm breath brushing against her forehead. Her mind reeled, trying to think  
of who it could be when one memory popped into her head: the office.  
  
Mamoru.  
  
Was it really him?  
  
No. Something didn't feel quite right. When Mamoru held her, shivers went down  
her spine and fire ignited wherever he touched. This person was soft, and for  
some odd reason, very familiar. Curiosity finally getting the better of her, she  
opened her eyes only to be met with amber.  
  
"Lucifer," she breathed, suddenly fearing that the past three months on Earth  
had been a dream.  
  
"Ah, you're awake. I must say that I was a bit surprised when you fainted dead  
away, but I guess popping up in the mirror isn't hte most subtle way to contact  
someone," he laughed, kissing her forehead. "Damn, I missed you."  
  
"W-why are you here?" she asked shakily, disheartened that her past had  
resurfaced so soon.  
  
"Well, first of all, I missed you terribly," he smiled o-so sexily in a way that  
would make most women melt. "And to remind you of your misson. You haven't been  
working on it too hard..." he shook a finger at her,"if at all."  
  
"I-I-I..." she stuttered, still shaken from him just appearing. Had she missed  
him? She wasn't sure.  
  
"You're so beautiful when you're disoriented," he leaned down and brushed his  
lips against hers before completely capturing them. She wasn't sure what made  
her respond. Maybe it was just the familiarity of the whole scene, but her arms  
instantly wrapped around him to pull him closer. He ran his tongue along her  
bottom lip and groaned softly. He had missed her taste so much. Lowering his  
mouth, he kissed her neck and then her collarbone.  
  
"Mmm..." she purred, fingers tangling in his hair. "Mamoru..."  
  
The world came to a screeching halt.  
  
When she realized he had stopped, her eyes popped open to look at him curiously.  
Fire stared back at her in the form of amber eyes. She'd never seen him to angry  
before.  
  
"Who is this...Mamoru?" he hissed, saying the man's name with complete disgust.  
Her eyes widened. How did he know that name?  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Mamoru!" His fists clenched and his knuckles went white. "You called out his  
name!"  
  
No. She couldn't have. Not HIS name...could she?  
  
"He's just some guy I've had to work with lately..."  
  
"Bullshit. You've been screwing him, haven't you? You're turning into such a  
whore-"  
  
"I am not a whore!" she screamed back, the fire that she had earned on Earth  
returning. "No one asked you to just appear, Lucifer! Actually, I haven't even  
thought about you since I left."  
  
Ouch. That hurt more than it should have. But why? Because maybe this Mamoru  
character was occupying her thoughts instead of him.  
  
"Serenity, what's happened to you?" he asked, his voice filled with regret.  
  
"Get out!"   
  
For some reason, he obeyed her and walked back over to the mirror before  
disappearing.  
  
Three months.  
  
Three months on Earth and she was corrupted.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mist covered the clearing, falling so thickly that everything else was hidden.  
Maybe that's why they chose that exact place to meet.  
  
"Are the rumors true?" a deep voice asked, it's owner obviously worried about  
something. "Is the prophecy really about to be fufilled?"  
  
"The vampires speak of a goddess, one of innocence and purity who has changed,"  
a younger voice answered, revealing the owner to be no more than twelve.  
  
"Changed? Into what?"  
  
"I'm not sure...I think she may be turning evil, though it is no wonder since  
she represents Hell."  
  
"An angel in Hell? The council really did screw up this time..."  
  
"In turn, the saints tell stories of a demon from Heaven," a new voice said. It  
was female and light, almost musical.  
  
"The rumors are true, the prophecy is at risk of being fufilled," another voice,  
one full of mystery. The others gasped.  
  
"We can't let that happen!" the deep voice exclaimed.  
  
"I know, we will just have to make sure that he doesn't fail..." They all nodded  
in agreement before disappearing into the mist.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
"They are so dead!" Zoicite screamed frustratedly at the top of his lungs,  
momentarily shattering the peace of all the giggling pre-teens with pimples and  
braces. They glarred at him in an enraged fury, much like the look Star Trek  
fans give the rest of the inferior population when they confuse Spok's origins  
of human and Vulcan- a look that says "Get off the planet, you moronic scum!"  
The other 2 percent of the store, which comprised of older teens and mom  
chaperones wondered why a young man with exceptionally long hair and somewhat  
feminine features was doing in a mall outlet like Calires in the first place.  
  
He blushed furiously and stomped his left foot. "I mean...uh...they test these  
products on animals! They are so dead!"  
  
This remark produced unexpected results.   
  
Instead of returning to their affaires as he guessed they would, a swarm of  
angry, frothing chicks practically pounced on him, all yelling and kikcing and  
screaming at once.  
  
"THEY TEST THESE ON POOR DEFENSELESS BUNNIES?! AND MONKIES?! THEY SHALL BURN!!"  
bellowed one paticularly pissed off girl.  
  
Zoicite found it very hard to breathe witht eh mass of girls on top of him, so  
summoning all of his super-angelic strength, he mangaed to crawl out from under  
them. He lied there and gasped for a moment before finally getting up. Note to  
self: beware of crazed shopping mall addicts, he though silently.  
  
Upon a giddy impulse, Zoicite began to look around. The shelves were covered in  
almost every shade, flavor, and personality of cosmetics, along with various  
application devices and cuddly looking white cats whose only vocabulary was the  
word "hello".  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mamoru examined himself in the mirror. Having just stepped out of the shower, he  
was clad only in a pristine white towel wrapped around his waist. The bright  
light from his bedside lamp illuminated his dark skin and well-toned body.  
Usually he looked upon himself in the mirror with pride at his beautiful figure,  
but right now, everything seemed all wrong. His eyes were too far apart, his  
forehead was too long, his teeth were crooked...  
  
Mamoru sighed and ran a hand through his damp hair. Normally he never agonized  
over his appearence, but for some reason he was tonight. He kept envisioning  
Usagi in his dream, running her hands over his bare chest and moaning his name  
in passion. He scrutinzed himself even harder in the mirror again.  
  
"Why so you care so much?" he demanded of his reflection accusingly as he began  
to get dressed. "It's not as if you like her or anything...sure, a few rolls in  
the sack'll be nice, but then you'll lose interest and find someone else, like  
always."  
  
He stopped. God, was he was a cold, heartless bastard or what?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What's wrong baby?"  
  
Rei hesitated for a minute, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted without making it seem like she cared. "Just rethinking some things I guess." she smiled, running the sheet through her fingers idily. "I was going through some of the memories of our relationship before the crash and I still haven't been able to figure out whether there was any emotion in it besides lust." she laughed softly, trying to sound nonchalant.   
  
He swallowed, a sort of...guilty expression crossing his face. "It didn't mean anything to you?" he asked softly. "I- I wouldn't have called it lust...per se...no, wait, that came out wrong. I mean...you know, don't you?"   
  
"No, I don't know. Can't you just tell me, it's too early to think clearly." she tried to keep her voice steady, scared that Minako had actually been right. They had been arguing earlier that day when Minako had bluntly stated that eventhough Kunzite was gay now they HAD been in LOVE. Rei and Jadeite were only eachother's play things. Rei had vehemently disagreed, but...could Minako have been right?   
  
Jadeite winced at the cutting tone she used. There wasn't an easy way to say it, and Jadeite wasn't exactly the lovey-dovey type. But she wanted SOMETHING. Knowing Rei, she'd rather hear something painful than not hearing it at all. Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes. 'You've been talking to HER again, haven't you?"   
  
"Yes, but obviously she was right, wasn't she?" she said cooly, focusing completely on the sheet that she continued to run her fingers over. She wasn't going to show any emotion, no, that wasn't her. She would just call up a few people and then...well...this pain would go away. For a little while at least...yeah..she would call someone. Who though? Momentarily her mind flickered back to her old methods of dealing with pain. Alcohol and drugs were so, so very good at that...but did she need this life to end up like the last one? Worst case scenario is she would wind back up in Hell where she wanted to be anyway, right? For some reason she couldn't see herself doing it. Maybe it was because of him..   
  
"Right? About what? Minako told you...what did she tell you?"   
  
She sighed, she didn't want him to know that it bothered her. "It's nothing, don't worry about it..."   
  
The look on her face made him feel like he'd just kicked a puppy. She was turning her eyes from him, pretending like it didn't matter, like she always did. But he knew her- she was trying not to cry, to show how hurt she was. "N-no..." he said, slowly at first. "It- it does matter." 'Boy, what have you gotten yourself into this time?' he wondered to himself.   
  
He sucked in a deep breath. "When the...you know, the crash happened...I was so...angry." He whispered the last word. "I mean, like a DANGEROUS angry."   
  
"At who exactly?" she raised an eyebrow, finally turning to face him once more. She was surprised to see a pained expression on his face.   
  
He was looking away now, focusing all of his dark energy into a spot on the wall. "Just...just angry. At everything. At you, at the guys, at myself...at God. And then I just...forgot about it. I pushed it to the back of my mind. It came to the point where I was a danger to myself when I was angry. So I just...forgot. Rei, when I was with you, before, I...I just assumed that you'd always be there, and that I would always be with you. I took you for granted. And.." he looked away. "Maybe I didn't think of you in the way you want me to... But ever since I've been back, and I'm with you again, I don't know...I want to be around you, I want to see you, and not just without your clothes, either."   
  
She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his chest, snuggling up to his naked form. "That's all I wanted to know Jadeite, and that's all I needed to hear." It had been more than what she was hoping for, and had eased her mind a bit. It wasn't love, but it wasn't pure lust either. That suited her just fine.   
  
Jadeite sighed in relief, feeling he had said the right thing- for once. He snaked one arm around her waist and just stroked the skin of her abdomen.... A sickening feeling filled the put of his stomach as his fingers traced a welt-like scar, and he felt her shiver beneath him as he passed it. "Rei," he sat up abruptly, positioning her so that he was facing her. "What's this..." he said, pointing to a scar on her tummy. "And this bruise over here...and these scratches...and this welt...and....Rei? Wh-what are these?" he asked, his voice quivering with something unknown.   
  
"They're....they're nothing.." she said softly, having temporarily forgotten about the scars that she tediously covered with makeup each morning. It must have worn off during the night. They weren't noticable unless you were up close, but Jadeite was pretty close. "Just scratches I've picked up over the past couple months..."   
  
  
"Rei. No they're not." His eyes narrowed and he gripped her shoulders. "What are they from? Were you...did...who did this?" he almost hissed. These were not just accidental injuries- they were wounds, inflicted upon by a person. Jadeite clenched his fists, temporarily forgetting they were squeezing her shoulders until she squeaked, and he loosened them. Whoever did this...he would destroy them....   
  
"They're not serious, Jadeite." she tried to sound angry but her voice came out as a squeak. It was anything but scary. When she saw his face harden even further she sighed in defeat. "It wasn't like he did it on purpose Jadeite. I guess he just has a one track mind. Maybe he couldn't concentrate what he was doing AND not hurting me at the same time.. Besides, it's not just me. We all have the bruises and scars. Lucifer wasn't known for his gentleness." she said, trying to help her case but realizing that she had told him who it was. Shit.   
  
"WHAT?" he cried. "Lu- he- you- " Jadeite sputtered. "You and him...I mean, I knew...but....he did this to you? A lover did this to you? Rei-" his voice broke as he examined her scared flesh again. "Rei...I know we were crazy back then...but I would never have..." Jadeite covered his eyes to escape the sight of her skin.   
  
"Well...I wouldn't exactly call him a lover Jadeite..." Wait. That was going to help her case much at all. "It wasn't like he took a whip and hit me, well, only ONCE! Most of them are just from holding me too tight or from weird spots or-" to cut herself off. He didn't need to hear this. "I'm sorry Jadeite...I'm not exactly sure what to say.."   
  
"God, Rei!" Jadeite rubbed furiously at his eyes. "Dammit!" His heart twisted in his chest as he saw her staring back at him, and he felt a million different emotions whirling threw him at once- guilt for shouting at her, grief and frustration that there was nothing he could do to take away these scars, relief that she was no longer with HIM anymore..but above all, a rage buried deep inside him. A rage that wanted to destroy Lucifer. He threw his arms around her neck and buried his head in her hair so that she wouldn't see the tears that were spilling over his cheeks. Tears of regret of not being there for her...   
  
Instantly she reacted and embraced him, stroking his back soothingly while whispering soft words of comfort. She knew they needed this, had needed something to get passed the basic playful comments and insults. Somehow this was going to bring them closer, and who knew what it would lead them too.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Nephrite slowly opened his eyes to feel a familiar softness lying across him. It was  
so incredibly soft. Looking around the room he realized that he was not in his   
apartment and that his surroundings were unfamiliar. Suddenly, it came back to him  
and he looked down at the girl that had fallen asleep in his arms. Makoto, she was  
so beautiful. He became aware of the fact that her already short skirt had ridden  
up quite a bit along with her tank top.   
  
Man, he needed to get out of this.  
  
Fast.  
  
Trying to pick her up a little to slide out he was surprised to hear her whimper  
softly and cling onto his shirt in order to prevent   
loss of his warmth. He sighed in defeat. It wasn't that he was in a particularly BAD position...No, many guys would die to be in his shoes...but he had to pee SO bad!   
  
'Ahhh!' His mind screamed as he felt her shift again.   
  
She did NOT just put her hand THERE!   
  
Nephrite's mind raced. "Go to phase two?" His lower half asked, actually enjoying the sensation of her hand.   
  
'NO! Nonononononono! Do NOT go to phase two! I repeat: Under no circumstnaces do you go to phase two!'   
  
Note: This did nothing to help his current bladder situation.   
  
He lied there, eyes wide open, waiting for something, ANYTHING to happen. Nothing did. Minutes seemed like hours, and still he dared not move.   
  
"I have got to piss like nobody's business," he murmered aloud, not realizing it until her long eyelashes twitched. He would have covered his mouth to keep silent, but she was fortunatly doing it for him.   
  
She groaned softly and squinted her eyes as she became aware of the light filtering into the room. She sat up, not aware that she was on top of Nephrite, and reached her arms towards the ceiling. Her already 'risque' ensemble had become even more so during the night. The top had been pushed to the side, revealing a creamy shoulder, and it rose up even farther as she stretched. The skirt was up to the point where you could see her emerald underwear in the back.   
  
Nephrite gulped and waited for "the wrath of Makoto."   
  
She groggily opened her eyes and crawled off of Nephrite's lap.   
  
What kind of evil, sick, twisted game was she playing?!   
  
Groaning she dragged herself away from the couch and to where he couldn't see anymore. Not believing his luck at first he remained lying there in shock. When he did finally get up, his eyes widened at what he saw. A trail of discarded clothes (Yes, the ones she had just been wearing!) led to a door that was slightly ajar.   
  
How had he missed THAT?!   
  
Suddenly, Nephrite's male traits started kicking in. "Must...find..bathroom!" He hopped up from the couch, legs pressed togeether (which was quitte a feat in itself) and looked this way and that for any hint of a restroom (or, heck, even a rubber plant). But as he could find not even on (which surprised him thoroughly), plant or bathroom alike anywhere in the entire house, he decided to go find Makoto and venture asking her.   
  
Following the convenient trail of clothes (hey, hadn't he given her those panties for Christmas a few years ago?), he finally found hhis way to a door, from which inside he heard singing. He knocked.   
  
No response.   
  
"Makoto?"   
  
Nothing.   
  
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, only to be greeted with the sight of steam and a clear, glass shower-with her in it.   
  
It was like looking into glasses when you didn't need them. Her figure and features were perfectly visible, but were fogged a bit, hiding the most detailed parts of her body. He stared at it for awhile, male hormones taking over. Didn't he have to pee? Oh, yes...he had almost forgotten.   
  
Making sure to keep an eye on the singing and nude Makoto, in case she noticed him (Yeah, that's why), he quietly lifted the toilet seat. As he unzipped his pants, he continued watching her, becoming so preocupied with the sigght of her that he forgot about what he was doing, and accidentily knocked the toilet seat down-onto a certain sensitive area of him. There was a loud bang as the toilet seat slammed, followed by a yelp as he cried out in pain. Nephrite quickly claimped a hand over his mouth to stay silent, but tears slowly slipped down his cheeks.   
  
"H-hello?" Makoto called out after a minute. She slid the glass door to the side and stuck her head out. "Nephrite! What are you doing in here?!" Wait. What was he DOING?! Her eyes met his momentarily to see them filled with fear and pain. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. After further inspection she also realized that his pants were down around his ankles and his hands were clutching a 'certain' area of his body. His eyes were locked on her.   
  
Suddenly, she remembered that she was naked. "You pervert!" She crossed her arms over her chest and sat at the bottom of the shower in order to block his 'view'.   
  
Nephrite took his hand away from his mouth and looked confused. Then he remembered just where he was and what he was doing.   
  
"Makoto-it's not what it looks like, I swear it! I-I had to use the bathroom, and well, this is the only bathroom in the house, you know, and see then I came in here, and....and," he babbled sensleslly, knowing full well which creek he was up without a paddle. "...and then I dropped the toilet seat on my thing, and it hur-," he said, stopping and looking down. "Oh shit!" He quickly zipped up his pants and blushed furiously, pondering how wrong it had all gone.   
  
"A few agonizing moments went by, and Makoto was still huddled in the corner of the shower. "Makoto? Say something! Come on, it wasn't like there was anything I hadn't seen before..."   
  
"OUT! GET OUT NOW!!" She shouted, throwing a bar of soap at him. Momentarily forgetting herself, she stood up at grabbed random items from the shower. "I hate you Nephrite! I can't even believe that I thought-," she cut herself off, punctuating each word by throwing an item at him. "-who cares what I thought...how could you do this you @$#%%@$#%!!!!" She started rambling off many names that even HE didn't know. What?? She had to learn SOMETHING in Hell.   
  
Although Nephrite was not essentially the pervert among the four saints (that was Jadeite's role), he was still a young man in his prime, and the sight of a fully-developed, naked, angry Makoto chucking things at him like there was no tomorrow-well, it would distract anyone in his position. Which is why he did not realize there was a rubber duckie careening at him 1880-miles per hour until it him him square in the jaw. "Ouch!" He cried, clutching his red face and running out the door (but not before flushing the toilet- he wasn't a barbarian!)   
  
Quickly grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her, she stomped over to her room and slammed the door.   
  
Slam! (told you)   
  
Nephrite winced as it slammedd (which it did) and shook his head.   
  
This would NOT end well.   
  
Suddenly, he felt arms around his waist and he jumped.   
  
"Sorry," Makoto giggled, untangling herself from him. "Though you handled the situation REALLY bad...I THINK I understand." He smiled. She really was so perfect in every way. One of which he had just rediscovered...'Nope do NOT go down that road again.'   
  
"I can't believe I fell asleep on you," she laughed. "That must have been awkward for you."   
  
"Yeah, you were putting your hands in some strange places...and you talk in your sleep, too. 'Oh Nephrite, you sexy beast you. I just can't keep my hands off you!'"   
  
Her eyes widened in momentary panic until she saw the gleam in his eyes and smacked his shoulder. "You really are a piece of work, aren't you?" She laughed.   
  
"Look who's talking. One minute you hate me and try to behead me with bath toys, and then you hug me. And I'm the strange one." He smiled.   
  
"But how can I stay mad at a 'sexy beast' like you?" She purred, kissing his cheek. "What's on the agenda for today?" She asked curiously, linking an arm with him.  
  
"Well, maybe we should talk about those Christmas panties you SWORE you'd never wear," he laughed, poking her in the chest. SUddenly, he became self-concious, having noticed that they were speaking rather loudly. "Umm..Makoto, is anyone else here at the house?"   
  
She paused for a minute, thinking about which day it was,  
before her eyes went wide. "Simone..."   
  
"Miss Kino! Miss Kino are you okay?" asked a young woman, who  
ran down the stairs in tight jeans and a t-shirt tied up to reveal her midriff.  
"I swear that I hear screaming and-oh. I didn't know you had company." She waved  
at Nephrite. "Hey."   
  
"Hi!" Nephrite sweatdropped and waved, remembering Makoto was  
dressed in merely a short bathrobe and he in somewhat disheveled clothing.   
  
"Eh...this is Simone. She comes in to water the plants in the  
greenhouse and basically run the mansion while I'm working. You know, making  
sure the maids show up and such.." She trailed off, realizing she was rambling.  
"And this is Nephrite. He's an old friend of mine that just flew in from  
somwhere far away."  
  
"Oh! So THIS is Nephrite!!" Simone shook his hand. "Makoto  
talks about you in her sleep somtimes."   
  
Nephrite blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Eh heh...she  
does, does she?"  
  
"WHAT?! I do?!!"  
  
Simone nodded, her red hair falling over one shoulder. "Yup.  
You go on about a guy named Lucifer for awhile, mentioning some things I don't even  
WANT to repeat or think I can as this is story is only rated R, but then you  
start talking about a crash and then Nephrite."   
  
"Ohh...well, what does she say about me in general?" Nephrite  
asked. "Of course, I already know the answer- she can't get ENOUGH of me, but  
still- " he was cut off as she punched him in the arm.   
  
"Simone, really, please just don't answer tha-"   
  
"She talks about how you cared for her and stopped her from  
hurting herself, though in the end it wasn't enough. Sometimes she even starts  
crying in her sleep and whispering something about rain and alcohol, before  
returning to you and how absolutely perfect and wonderful you are."   
  
"Simone, that quite enough-"  
  
Nephrite, a little shocked at this newfound information, agreed  
whole-heartedly with Makoto and quickly searched for another topic of discussion.  
"So," he began, rubbing his hands together. "Whose hungry?"   
  
"I am!" Makoto nearly jumped at the change of subject and  
pulled on his arm. "Let's go out to eat."   
  
"Really? I thought maybe we could whip something up here or  
something...I remember how great of a chef you used to be...."   
  
"Well, that's only because you taught me." She winked, starting  
to walk towards the kitchen. "Yeah...I'm sure we can find something..."   
  
Simone, having been forgotten, quickly memorized the picture  
they made. They were so cute together, and hey, if it didn't work, Nephrite was  
still a total babe.   
  
As they were walking, Nephrite caught a glance of himself in  
the reflection of the stainless steel refridgerator. "Ack! Look at me! I'm a  
mess! Makoto, do you mind if I borrow a brush or something?"   
  
"No." She motioned him with a wave of her hand towards the  
bathroom. "You'll find anything you need in those drawers. More than anyone  
would ever need."  
  
"Thanks!" he rushed off towards the bathroom. Once inside, he  
quickly found a comb and began to untangle the rat's nest that was his hair.  
Sure, it was great with the ladies, but every once in a while it did get old. He  
looked down at himself. "That was a close call, there, buddy. You almost got  
nicked! I had no idea toilets were that dangerous!"  
  
When he was finished brushing his hair, he was almost on his way back to the  
kitchen when something caught his eye in the mirror. It lasted for a brief  
second before disapearing, but there was a flash of a dark tan and  
jet-black, with what seemed like a set of crimson....eyes....peering at him. He  
quickly flipped around, searching for any sign of someone in the room, but after  
a careful inspection could find no one. "Makoto," he called out, needing to hear  
her voice to make sure she was okay.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
End of Part A  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	13. Hot Date, Cold Feet Part B

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somwhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R  
  
Genre: Romance/comedy  
  
Disclaimer: We don't own Sailor Moon or any religious stuff...um...someone else probably has it copyrighted. I wonder...is there a copyright on Heaven and Hell? I should look into that...   
  
Author Note: Yeah. We're late, we know. Trust us, we know! We've actually had this chapter done for a month or so...and the next one is done already but see, the files keep getting lost and it's taking forever to put together. Not to mention the fact that The chapters are too long to put into one notepad file...*sighs*   
  
Dedication: Joey! You rock so much. Thanks for reviewing all the time!  
  
  
* * * * *   
  
Chapter 9- Hot Date, Cold Feet Part B  
  
* * * * *  
  
A loud clag echoed from the kitchen as Makoto dropped  
something, and then there were hushed voices. Makoto was talking to someone, she  
sounded angry, but he couldn't quite figure out what exactly she was saying.  
When the other voice replied his eyes widened in shock. It was male.   
  
"What are you doing here?!" she hissed, picking up the bowl  
that she had dropped. "Isn't there some law about you just popping up inbetween  
worlds?"   
  
"Actually...no. I visited Serenity last night, her mind was  
wandering. Do you have any idea about what her mind was wandering too?" Makoto  
shook her head. "Mamoru."   
  
"Who?"  
  
Lucifer's eyes darkened and his fist slammed angrily onto the  
counter, causing a crack to appear. "If you were following her instead of  
playing nookie with pretty-boy than you might know!" he said through clenched  
teeth.   
  
Her eyes widened and she backed away, nodding numbly. "I..I'm  
sorry.."   
  
"Keep an eye on her. I want this Mamoru character out of her  
life by the next time I check in or else..." he gribbed her chin in his hand,  
"You won't have much to come home too."   
  
Hearing footsteps, she turned quickly to see if Nephrite was  
approaching only to find that Lucifer had disappeared. She fell to her knees and  
cried.   
  
"Makoto!" he called again, this time running towards the  
kitchen with a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach as a definitly male voice  
reached his ears. It was low and full of contempt. "Makoto, answer me! Are you  
okay?" He panted, skidding into the kitchen on the linoleum floor and looking  
around. He spotted her right away. She was backed into the corner on the floor,  
sobbing. "What happened?" He slid to his knees and cupped her cheek with his  
hand.   
  
"Nephrite.." she gasped, looking up at him with tear clouded  
eyes. "I'm not sure...it was...I..he..." she choked, a sob wracking her body and  
she clung onto him, her finger digging into the material of his shirt.   
  
"Where is he? Is he still here in the house?" Nephrite jumped  
up and grabbed a cordless phone, sitting back down and pulling Makoto in his lap  
as he began dialing 9-1-1 [or whatever they use in Japan].   
  
She started laughing maniacaly. "Calling 9-1-1 won't get him  
out of here. He will go where he pleases, that evil bastard. How was I able to  
tolerate him for so long?" She clenched her fists. "I can't believe that he  
would..just.." she trailed off, her eyes wandering over to the cracked counter.  
"Lucifer never was good at keeping his emotions in check."   
  
Nephrite blinked. "Wha- Lucifer was here? Just now? Oh my God!  
What happened? Did he hurt you?" he asked frantically, searching her body for  
signs of abuse.   
  
"No. He did a fine job on my marble counter top though," she  
said, standing up and glaring down at the cracked marble. "I'm going to kick his  
ass, I swear to G-no...that wouldn't be smart, now would it? Who knows what kind  
of mood he's in right now."   
  
"Makoto..." he stood up and put a hand on her shoulder. "Why  
was he here?" Nephrite was a little shaken. The past three months had taken away  
his concept of these unearthly powers, and he was reminded all at once just what  
he knew. He knew very well he could be pulled out of his assignment at any  
second if he displeased his sender...   
  
"It appears that I'm not watching my charge good enough, though  
why all four of us must be on patrol at all times is beyond me. Of course, I  
WOULD get the blame. I wonder if he visited Rei yet..." she trailed off, looking  
out the window.   
  
"The guys and me have a scheduale worked out so that someone's  
keeping and eye on our's at all times..." He checked his watch. "Right now it  
should be...Holy Mother of- Makoto, I'm so sorry, I gotta run!" He placed a  
quick habitual peck on her cheek and scrambled towards the door of her large  
mansion. He stopped at the door. "I'll call you...later?"   
  
She nodded numbly. "Yeah, sure. I'll see ya," she turned to  
stare at the phone, wondering if she should call Rei. That girl had always  
gotten the worst from Lucifer, and had the scars to prove it. She considered it  
for a moment before shaking her head. No..she was probably with Jadeite anyway.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
Rei shrieked and fell to the floor. Tears streamed down her eyes and she cradled  
her face in her hands. A dark red handprint was starting to show up on her  
cheek.  
  
The phone rang.  
  
She winced, ignoring the pain as she crawled over to the phone. "Rei?" Makoto's  
voice came to her ears. It was so filled with concern. She cried even harder.  
  
"Yeah, he visited me, too."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Jadeite knocked on the bathroom door once again. "Rei? You alright in there?  
You've just been in there for awhile..."  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She sighed, glaring into the mirror Lucifer had come through.  
He hadn't been very happy about Usagi and En- Mamoru. Grabbing some concealer,  
she nearly cried when she realized the bottle was empty. Maybe he wouldn't  
notice? Maybe if she didn't let him get too close... She walked out of the  
bathroom only to be met by the sight of him peering into the fridge, grimacing  
at the tofu, in only his boxers. How would she be able to stay away from him?  
She snuck up behind him and wrapped warm arms around his bare chest, contrasting  
with the cold air from the refridgerator. She laughed when he jumped.  
  
"Mmm...you scared me, baby," Jadeite murmured, not turning around, but taking  
one of her hands and kissing the palm of it. Rei almost sighed in relief. She  
might be able to pull this off yet...  
  
"So I take it you and Minako eat out a lot, considering the 'vast' supply of  
food you've got in here," he said.  
  
"Actually Minako is usually staying with one of her boyfriends. I make almost no  
money, and she refuses to pay for food since I already live in her apartment. I  
basically grow all the food I eat." She felt him stiffen before he turned around  
to look at her in horror.  
  
"You have to grow you food?" When she nodded he just looked at her in disbelief.  
"Oh, my poor Rei." He hugged her to him. He must have pressed into one of her  
bruises because she couldn't keep back the low screech in her throat or the  
tears that came into her eyes.  
  
"Rei?" he pulled back and frowned. "What's wrong?" She was wimpering like an  
injured puppy. He gently caressed her face. "You're wearing an awful amount of  
blush," he commented, noticing her redening cheek.  
  
"What are you talking about, Jadeite, I'm not wearing any makeup..." Her eyes  
widened when she realized what he was talking about. "...I'm...um...blushing  
because I'm flustered being around a mostly naken man when they're as handsome  
as you," she purred, putting on her most convincing smile and trying to ignore  
the pain.  
  
"Hino Rei, you don't blush, and even if you did, I think I have far more reason  
to," he teased, remembering the previous night and kissing her forehead.  
  
He FELL for that?! "And why should you be more embarassed than me? Just because  
you were the one continually screaming for more? I wouldn't be ashamed. I like a  
guy that knows what he wants."  
  
He tapped her lightly on the nose. "I wouldn't so far as to say I was the only  
one screaming." Jadeite winked and turned back around to face the empty  
refridgerator and sighed. Suddenly, he clapped his hands. "I have an idea!" he  
said when Rei gave him a funny look.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Usagi twirled in front of the mirror, smiling at her reflection.  
  
Perfect.  
  
Jumping up and down in an Usagi-ish manner, she squealed happily and clapped her  
hands. Naru had taken her shopping for a dress to wear on her date with mamoru.  
It took forever to find one that screamed: sexy, classy, 'take-me-off', and  
formal all at once.  
  
It was a black cocktail dress that had been styled to look like a tuxedo. The  
white "collar" hung off her shoulders and dipped down to show a respectable  
amount of cleavage. Buttons were sewn down the bodice until it met with the  
tapered waist where the dress hugged her hips before falling loosely to the  
floor. To make it sexier there was a slit that went up to her thigh. Lace  
covered the back, making it so that you could see her creamy skin beneath it.  
Sleek, black heels adorned her feet, which would be killing her the next day  
because of them, and diamond crescent moon earrings sparkled in her lobes.  
  
She'd had a miserable time trying to figure out what to do about her panties.  
Having already decided on a sheer Victoria Secret number, she was highly  
dismayed to discover that creases appeared in her dress where the seams of the  
underwear were. She had tried several pairs only to throw her hands up in  
frustration. Oh well. The dress went to the floor anyway, no one would notice if  
she didn't wear any panties.  
  
She'd just have to watch the slit.  
  
She practically jumped when she ehard the buzz echoing throughout the apartment.  
  
"Usagi, can you buzz me up? Or are you still changing? And if you are, buzz me  
up anyway," his sexy cultured voice filtered up through the intercom and filled  
her ears. She blushed.  
  
"No, I'm dressed, you pervert." She pressed the button that would allow him to  
enter the lobby. "Okay, I have about five minutes until he makes it up here."  
She rushed over to her room, hands trying frantically to zupper the back of the  
gown. She vaguly heard the door to her apartment open. "I'm almost ready, just  
wait in the living room," she called over her shoulder, back towards her bedroom  
door. "Come on, come on!" she whined, her hands struggling to grasp the zipper.  
  
Suddenly, she felt hands massaging her lower back and lips brushing her ear.  
  
"Need help?" Mamoru's voice whispered seductively, causing a chill to go down  
her spine.  
  
"I thought I told you to wait in the living room." By some miracle her voice was  
able to stay steady, but that was the exact opposite of how she felt.  
  
"I never was very good at taking orders..." he murmered moving his mouth down to  
her neck and nibbling softly. His hands slowly moved upward, and it wasn't until  
she heard the noise that she realized he had zuppered the dress for her. Feeling  
herself succoming to his mouth, she knew she'd have to stop him before it went  
too far. But how could she do it without giving herself away? Try plan M 'memory  
lapse.' "Thanks," she said simply, moving over to her mirror and checking her  
make up once more, leaving Mamoru standing there looking confused. "I'm ready."  
She turned and locked eyes with him, looking at him for the first time that  
night. He looked drop deady sexy in his suit and his bangs fell loosely around  
his eyes. Reaching her hand up, she brushed them lightly aside, licking her  
lips. She watched his eyes follow the movement and gave him the 'man melter'  
smile.  
  
If they were going to do this, she would be in control.  
  
Or so she thought.  
  
Mamoru's eyes centered around her full and painted lips, traveling south from  
there on to inspect her attire. He had to restrain from gasping in pleasure at  
the almost skintight dress and what it did to her figure. "You clean up quite  
nicely...." he murmured.   
  
"You expected otherwise?" She laughed, grabbing her matching envelope purse off  
of her bedside table. "I would return the compliment, but you already know you  
sexy. Why boost your ego even more?"   
  
"Cause it turns me on," he purred confidently, but secretly wishing that she  
would. After an agonizing hour of trying to decide on what to wear, he had  
finally decided on the sleek suit, and the shoes, but then there was his hair...  
  
"So where is it we're going exactly?"   
  
"Moon Palace. I'm surprised that someone as 'high up' as you on the social  
ladder hasn't heard of it before. It's really popular right now." she linked  
arms with him nonchalantly, trying to ignore the tingling sensation that coursed  
through her body as she did so. "I tried under my name, Tsukino, but I guess  
heads of advertising businesses scare restaraunt owners more than fashion  
designers. As soon as I mentioned the name Chiba, they booked us immediatly."   
  
"Hmm...well, I never make it out of the car anyways..." he said, narrowing his  
eyes seductively. "But I suppose going on a date for once could be nice..."   
  
She blushed. He had caught her off guard with that one. "Oh really..." she  
trailed off, not trusting her voice as she turned to lock the door to her  
apartment. She wound up dropping the key in her nervousness and cursed under her  
breath before being able to successfully lock the door. "Whoever said this was a  
date?"   
  
He was at a loss for words. "Well....I don't treat people to dinner for free,  
you know..." He paused. "I always get my due."   
  
"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "And how would you like me to repay you, Mamoru?"   
  
"For starters, you could tell me just where you got your....dress..." he said,  
trying to choose the correct noun.   
  
"Actually, Naru and I went shopping for one today. I didn't have anything formal  
enough for this kind of restaraunt." She shivered slightly as the cold night air  
hit her bare arms. They had finally gotten outside. "Turns out, it's under MY  
label. I have no clue what designer under me did it though...I should find out  
and give them a raise."   
  
He put his hand to his chin as in thought. "It's a lovely dress..." he started, eyeing her in places most women would have slapped him for ,"but you forgot a key element. Your coat." He looked up ahead as they were passing down the street, and spotted a boutique. "Come on," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside.   
  
She blinked, shocked as he started pulling her over towards the store. She was a little cold, but was it really necessary to buy her a jacket? Wait. What am I saying?! FREE STUFF! She smiled then, following him with ease, and had to hold back her laughter as she saw the salespeople jump up at seeing the two of them. Their clothes must've screamed money.   
  
"M-mr. Chiba? And...oh my God, Usagi Tsukino! I m-mean, welcome! Can I help you?" a young Asian saleswoman said as she approached them, stylishly dressed in a form-fitting black suit and hair knotted into a sleek bun.   
  
Mamoru grinned slyly at Usagi before turning to face the lady. "No thank you, we're quite fine by ourselves. If we need your assistance, we'll give you a shout." He took her arm and led Usagi away, leaving behind the bewildered sales clerks and attendants. He gave her an expectant look. "What'll it be, Miss Tsukino?"   
  
Usagi looked around at the huge mounds of coats that were haning up all around the store in various displays. Her eyes swirled, and she vaguely wondered if they would ever be leaving the boutique. "Umm..." She walked over to a rack and was surprised to find a cute, floor-length, white coat that matched the collar of her gown. It looked as if it had been made to go with her gown. Who knows, maybe it had.  
  
Mamoru was right behind her, and he caught her eyeing the coat. "Turn around," he commanded as he slipped the coat off of the rack and pulled her hair away from her neck, leaning in closer to nip at the base of it before sliding the coat over her bare arms, brushing her skin in the process. "Whadya think?"   
  
A shiver went down her spine when he touched her, and she fought back the urge to beg for more. How was he doing this to her?! "It's beautiful..." she said softly, fingering the light material carefully. "But I'm sure it costs a fortune.." she trailed off, reaching down to grab the pricetag, but was shocked when he got to it first.   
  
Mamoru held the pricetag between his fingers, out of her short-height's reach. "Price is irrelevant. Do you or do you not like the coat?"   
  
She sighed, defeatedly. Oh well, he had loads of cash to burn anyway. "Yes, it's absolutely perfect."   
  
"Then it's settled." He motioned to one of the sales clerks who had been hiding behind a clothes rack watching them. She jumped, startled at being discovered, and ran towards them and bowed her head. "She'll be wearing this out," he said, handing her the price tag. Usagi was regarding him strangely, as if trying to figure him out. He shrugged. She probably guessed his motives were sexual, but Mamoru found himself facinated by her behavior. She was obviously an innocent, trying to act as a seductress, compared to the other women he was used to. They were just sluts trying to do the opposite. Yes, it was this and nothing more.   
  
"Thank you for the jacket Mamoru." She hesitated a moment, as if pondering her next move, before kissing him lightly on the cheek. "This was really sweet of you." She hugged the fabric to her, relishing in its warmth. Not wanting to ever take it off, she was surprised to find that it smelled like him. Somehow that fact was comforting.  
  
He blinked. THAT was unexpected. "Uh...sure..." he said dumbly, lightly fingering his cheek. It felt like it was on fire. He shook his head, relating the burning sensation to a new type of lipstick she must have been wearing. "To the Moon Palace?" he said, extending his arm.   
  
She nodded. "So where's your car at? I heard you had a really nice one. Well, it must be nice if all your dates end there." she said teasingly, leaning on his slightly as they walked. No matter how many times she stepped away from him, her head always seemed to wind up resting on his arm. How in the Hell did that keep happening?   
  
He smirked at her refrence. "If you can keep your clothes on, I can keep mine. Just as long as you don't make any more passes at me like yesterday. I feel like such a piece of meat." He sniffed, pretending to be hurt.   
  
"Excuse me? I think it was 'you' who made a pass on 'me'!" She pulled her arm from his, and crossed them both over her chest. "I don't know what I was even thinking, trying to be nice to you. How can I get along with such a self centered, arrogant, chauvinistic-"   
  
"-drop dead sexy beast like me? I'm not sure. I don't know how most people do it...perhaps it's the money?" He winked and jabbed her in the arms.   
  
She couldn't help but laugh at that. He was so to cute. Approaching the car she stopped and waited as he opened the door for her before getting inside the car. She was staring straight ahead, as if pondering some unanswerable question.   
  
Mamoru opened his door and slid into his seat. He reached under the pedals and picked up something pink and satin, glanced at it and paled, and tossed it into the back seat. Probably better if she didn't see those... He snuck a peek at her from the corner of his eye as he started the car, noting her rigid position. His manly arrogance led him to believe she was anxiously anticipating a pass by him, and this thought boosted his ego.   
  
After awhile of driving in silence she finally turned to look at him curiously. "I don't get you at all Mamoru. Sometimes you're the biggest asshole in the world and I just want to kill you, and other times you're so sweet and nice. The only way I'm able to tell that your the same person is because of those eyes of yours..." Those twin orbs were so captivating, so mesmerizing, and so dark. So very dark.   
  
Where they getting darker?   
  
He cleared his throat, trying to figure out how he was supposed to respond to that, but never taking his eyes off of the road. "I can't decided if that's a good or bad thing..." He laughed. "You're very forward," he said, almost admirably.   
  
"I've never been one to hide my opinions. Not since I woke up from my coma anyways." She sighed. "Supposedly I was this really sweet person who had never committed a sin or anything and then there was this mix up with this guy. I can't remember his name...Emion? Something like that. Well, I got screwed and woke up to find all my family members dead. That whole bit about going to Hell if you don't behave? It's crap. You might wind up there anyway." For a minute she wondered why she was sharing this information with him, he was just so easy to talk to, and for some odd reason she felt he'd know what she meant. "But you, you're not exactly an angel either. Now are you?"   
  
"You'd be surprised," he said cryptically after a minute. "But who needs a Heaven? Who needs a Hell? Why can't we just live here on Earth, with an equal balance of the two? That's how I'd prefer it." Lights from nearby cars and streetlights flickered past as they drove in silence for a moment, each curious of the other's thoughts, but unsure of what to say. "Heaven is whatever you make it to be, right? Brief moments of happiness, love, sex..." he raised an eyebrow, "all seconds of Heaven."  
  
"Somehow that makes perfect sense..." She let the silence consume them again, planning her words out carefully. "Can I ask you a question?"   
  
"Sure..." he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.   
  
"A friend of mine..." Her mind flickered to Lucifer momentarily, before returning to her present situation. "..once asked me a question. He asked if I was a princess and had to choose between the death of my own true love or that of my kingdom and its people, which I would choose...it's basically duty or love. Most people would say their answer quickly, but you have to REALLY think about it. What would you say?"   
  
"The businessman inside me says 'duty'. It sounds heartless, but I guess you have to be rational about it..."   
  
"Funny. I said the same thing."   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
Ami looked passed her book to see if she could recognize anyone walking around  
the mall. When she saw no one, she smiled triumphantly and carefully slipped  
into the secret world of Ami Mizuno. Claires.   
  
Squealing delightedly, she ran over to the make up side of the room and ran her  
fingers over all the different choices of glittery lipsticks. This was amazing.  
How could there be so much in one spot? She picked one up and turned it over to  
read the ingredients. No. For once she wouldn't care that there was fish scales  
and whale blubber in it.   
  
Zoicite placed his hands on his hips and looked as if in deep thought. Hmm...now  
was he more of a fire-engine red? Or a tickle-me-pink? Choices. Oh well. If he  
couldn't decide...he might as well get both of them, right? He clapped his  
hands. This was so much fun, being able to forget about everything and just be  
downright girly.  
  
He grabbed two of the different shades and was about to move on down when  
something sparkly caught his eye. They made lipstick in GLITTER? There was a  
God! Granted, he had met him and everything, but still.... He reached out for a  
tube when his hand collided with that of someone else...   
  
"Hey, that's mine!" Ami turned up to glare at the person who was attempting to  
steal the last shade of blueberry bash from beneath her hand. When her eyes met  
those of the offender she dropped everything that her arms were holding in  
surprise. "Zoicite...what are you doing here?"   
  
He stumbled backwards in surprise. "Ami?" he yelped. "I uh...I'm....well, what  
are YOU doing here?" Ami? In...CLAIRES? Damn. Now Kunzite owed him money from  
that stupid bet three years ago...   
  
"I'm uh...I'm doing an experiment on how many animal tested products people  
buy..yeah, that's it."   
  
"Oh." He twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Umm....it's all Rei and Jadeite's  
fault! They were about to jump each other and they dumped me off here so they  
could go make out!"   
  
Ami blinked. He had BOUGHT THAT?! Wait. Rei and Jadeite were WHAT?! "Oh." She  
tried to sound uninterested. "Then why were you trying to buy this Blueberry  
bash lipstick?"   
  
His eyes darted from side to side and he leaned in closer. "You can keep a  
secret?"   
  
She nodded. "Yes, of course. It's not like I'm exactly a gossip queen or  
anything." Her mind went back to earlier that day when she had been spying on  
Usagi and Mamoru. If only he knew.   
  
He nodded as well. Ami was one of his best friends, when she said she'd keep her  
word, she meant it. He whispered, "I'm a closet make-up freak."   
  
Giggling, she set down the tube of lipstick and leaned up to whisper in his ear.  
"Me too!"   
  
His eyes widened. "No kidding?" He laughed. "Oh man, the guys would KILL me if  
they found out!"   
  
"Well, you can't exactly tell anyone about me either. I mean, I'm supposed to be  
the serious one, remember?" She placed her hands on her hips and got that stern  
look on her face. "You guys, if you keep this up someone will get hurt. Do you  
even know what's in that thing? You should check it out before you drink it.."  
She giggled.   
  
"Doctors make the worst patients. How many times did you follow your OWN  
advice?" he teased. Rei and Minako, the two more dominant personalities of the  
girls, usually had little trouble covinving their companions to follow them into  
trouble. Then again, they'd also been able to coerce himself into doing things  
he wouldn't want broadcast on the evening news... "But no, BELIEVE ME, your  
secret is safe with me. Nephrite is just FISHING for some new dirt on me...."  
  
She was about to pick up a tube when her beeper went off. "Oh, hang on...it's  
probably Minako. She bought me one of these things and supposedly she can put  
messages in it." She clicked a button and held it up so that Zoicite could read  
as well. "At Moon Palace...Usagi and Mamoru...parking lot...makeout..must see!  
^__^"   
  
She nearly dropped the beeper in surprised.   
  
"Whose Usagi?" he asked, tilting his head.   
  
"Oh, a friend of ours. What I want to know is who this Mamoru fellow is."   
  
He shrugged. "Some guy the guys and I are familiar with...he's a real jerk, but  
he's...important, shall we say." A moment of silence passed. "So, are we going  
to go spy on them or what?"   
  
"Definitly! Come on, we can take my car." She was so excited she almost forgot  
to pay for everything. Almost.   
  
* * * * * *   
  
End Part B  
  
* * * * * * 


	14. Hot Date, Cold Feet Part C

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Rating: R (Is rated thus because of "dirty" words, juicy sex scenes, and dialogue that everyone loves reading! So, all you little kids who read this that aren't allowed to...let the corruption begin.)  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality/Comedy/Drama -----*authors couldn't make up their minds*  
  
***NOTE: It has just been wrongly stated that the authors have minds. Please take this into account while reading, thank you.  
  
Disclaimer: We do not own the wonderful Anime and Manga Sailor Moon, the very talented Naoko Takeuchi does. We're just people who take the story she wrote and twist it for our own sick purposes. ^_____^  
  
Author Notes: Oh yes, you're favorite part of the fanfic, the author notes!   
  
1. Okay, firstly we'd like to address the word "fag" used several times within our chapters. We do NOT use this word...it's not a very nice word, but Mamoru isn't exactly a very sweet person.   
  
2. Stara has been processing the idea of bringing the outers into the story since it was first brought up in the second or third chapter of this story. The result? The outers will be in this story, so all you people who love them rejoice!  
  
3. We'd like to say that soon the story will actually start working with the plot more. The first have of this story was setting up for the plot and introducing you to the characters. From this point on the story is going to start getting a bit more confusing and working towards the end result. :)  
  
4. We've actually had this done for over a month, but Nataku has been lazy about sending Stara the chats (We write these in AIM) so that Stara can put the chapters together. *sighs*  
  
*****REALLY, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT!!!!: STARA AND NATAKU ARE IN DESPERATE NEED (AS YOU HAVE PROBABLY ALREADY NOTICED) OF A FANFIC EDITOR!!! IF YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE JOB, PLEASE, PLEASE LET THEM KNOW IN A REVIEW!!!!!!!*****  
  
5. We're so sad. We used to get about 10 reviews a chapter and now we're only getting about...4 or 5...PLEASE, PLEASE review!! Don't discourage us from writing! At least give us 5 reviews a chapter. Just 5! Please?  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Chapter 9- Hot Date, Cold Feet (Part C)  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Usagi went quiet again as they pulled up to the restaraunt before she squealed out in delight. It was beautiful. The building had been made out of what appeared to be a white marble, and it was surrounded by fountains and gardens. There was a pool in front of it where the reflection of the moon shone brilliantly. "It's so gorgeous."   
  
"Yep," he agreed. "Perhaps there's more to getting past the backseat, eh?" His eyes scanned the parking lot, looking for a spot. He saw the valets making their way towards his car, but he quickly sped forward. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath. "NO ONE touches my baby."   
  
She laughed aloud at that and waved innocently to the rather confused looking valet. She waited for Mamoru to open the car door for her before stepping out and stretching. "You do have an amazing car. It perhaps is the only kind of car I wouldn't mind seeing the backseat in." she winked at him suggestively before tightening her coat around her and beginning to sashay up to the restaraunt.   
  
He raised both eyebrows and grinned at a valet, who gave him a thumbs up sign, and followed her, immitating her gait, pace for pace. "And now we enter the house of tight-asses," he chuckled as he passed a few stylishly dressed and obviously wealthy people entering the restaurant.   
  
"Did you hear that guy? He just called us tight-asses! My ass is very nice, thank you very much," a frighteningly familiar female voice reached their ears.  
  
The blonde who had spoken was wearing a rather revealing silver dress that showed almost all of her back. She looked almost exactly like Usagi except that her hair was a few shades lighter and so were her eyes. They could have been twins. "Be careful who you're talking to bastard."  
  
Usagi couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. The girl looked oddly familiar though, but she couldn't put her finger on it for some reason. She shrugged. Maybe she'd seen her at a show or something.   
  
Mamoru turned his head and glanced back at the pair. The blonde was shooting him "you're-an-ass" glares, while her companion was shaking his head and trying to avoid the stares of those around him. Mamoru sized him up quickly- he was gay, he had to be. So what was he- "Oh my God," he muttered, eyes widening a bit before he burst out laughing. "Kunzite, you don't do girls, what are you doing here?"   
  
"So you KNOW this pervert Kunzite?!" she shrieked, placing her hands on her hips. "I should have known you would assosciate with people like this...this.." She made a face. "And you said MY friends were bad influences on me."   
  
Usagi turned and looked at Mamoru confused, standing next to the girl who was almost identical to her. You could really see the similarities with them standing up next to eachother. Usagi somehow projected an innocent air while this other girl seemed to scream experience, both were incredibly tempting and sexy though. "What's going on Mamoru?"   
  
"Minako, Rei was the one who told you to climb that water tower in the middle of the night, remember? And I was the one who told you NOT to do it, but who did you listen to? You're friends ARE bad influences!"   
  
Rei? Minako? Usagi's mind started reeling as realization slowly yet surely started to dawn on her.   
  
"Well, at least my friends didn't change my sexual preference." she glared, knowing it was a low comment, but not caring at the moment.   
  
Kunzite gasped. "AINO MINAKO! You are so dead!" He sniffed. "I told you I was gay before I even dated you!" He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.  
  
"And just how does calling all of these snobs here tight-asses make me a pervert?" Mamoru demanded.   
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. And you didn't happen to find out until AFTER you dated me." She rolled her eyes and turned to face Mamoru. "I'm sorry, I misinterpreted what you said." She stopped, looking at him for the first time and smiled. He screamed good looks and money. And sex appeal. Oh yes, can't forget that. "My name's Aino Minako. What's yours?"   
  
Usagi glared, finally placing who the girl was and wondering what the hell she was doing on earth. Rei and Minako now, both of them were here. What had Lucifer sent them to spy on her? Her fists clenched just at the thought of it and she glared at Minako. Of course, Mamoru thought that she was glaring at Minako out of jealousy. This was a nice ego booster for him.   
  
"Mamoru Chiba. And this is my date- no sorry, this is my companion for the evening, Usagi." His eyes danced as he watched both girls and the poor Kunzite who was trying to figure out the validity of Minako's last statement. He contemplated going over to talk to his friend, but found that the attention he was recieving from both women outweighed that.   
  
Minako blinked. Usagi? How had she missed that?! Oh well, she could keep an eye on the girl now. Killing two birds with one stone? Yes! Suddenly she felt arms encircle her waist and she nearly screached as someone kissed her exposed shoulder.   
  
"Are you okay Minako?" (Jack from Will and Grace now referred to as Jack), asked her curiously. "You're so jumpy."   
  
"Oh. Jack. You scared me that's all." she said relieved, turning to face him. She'd almost forgotten WHY she had come to the restaraunt in the first place.   
  
"Actually, it's Shawn. I just play Jack on t.v."   
  
"Yeah, whatever Jack."  
  
He sweatdropped. Well, he wasn't exactly dating her for her brain now was he?   
  
Usagi rose an eyebrow at the group, determined not to let them ruin her date..er...business meeting. "Can we go inside now Mamoru? I'm getting kind of hungry..."   
  
Mamoru quickly flashed a smile at the group before turning to Usagi. "My thoughts exactly," he said, taking her arm and tipping his head at the maitre d, who folded his arms and gave him a look that said "you aren't getting in here."   
  
Usagi turned to the maitre d and flashed him her best 'man melter' smile. "Good evening sir. We're here under the reservation 'Chiba'."   
  
The man glanced down at his cliboard, then back at Mamoru, then back at the clipboard again before finally at Mamoru once again. He shook his head. "S-sorry for the confusion, folks. Please step right this way." He ushered them inside the hotel, leaving behind a fuming Minako, a bemused Shawn, and a gruff Kunzite between the two.   
  
Usagi nearly jumped up and down when they were brought over to the VIP section of the restaraunt. It was out in one of the courtyards, the only table there, and it was surrounded by blossoming rose bushes in all different colors. Chinese lanters hung around the courtyard and two candles stood on the table giving off a soft glow. "It's so beautiful!" she sat down across from Mamoru and immediatly picked up, her head swiming as she saw the prices of the items on it. Wow. Even she, a rich fashion designer, couldn't afford THIS!   
  
"You're easy to please," he laughed, watching her amazment as she took in their settings. "Especially considering YOU made the reservations." One of the candles in the center of the table had blown out in the slight breeze in the garden, and Mamoru took out his lighter and relit it. "There," he said, half smiling at his need for perfection. But this all seemed so perfect now...   
  
She had forgotten herself momentarily, he was supposed to be the enemy...but this was so..so..something. He was just acting perfect. There was no way that he was the same man she had been insulting in the parking lot of CIA the day before. Was it? "I've been having the oddest dreams lately." she commented, waiting to see his reaction.   
  
"Two things'll do that to ya...ice cream and wild sex," he said slyly.   
  
"Hmm, then maybe it's a combination of both. I have been eating a lot of ice cream lately, and sex, well, I'm never lacking in partners."   
  
"Touchée," he said, nodding his head. "So tell me about these dreams..."   
  
She had been looking for some kind of indication that he had been having dreams as well. "Hmm..let's see. I'm in someone's apartment that I don't recognize and a guy, whose face is hidden in shadow, is kissing me. You know, that type of dream." She smiled. There weren't any shadows in the dream, she knew exactly who the guy was.   
  
"Oooh...so does it get all hot and heavy?" he asked, leaning over the table earnestly. "This is fun, I feel like a gossiping teenage girl right now." He laughed, then cleared his throat. "E-except for the being a girl part."   
  
She laughed. "Unfortunatly no. I always tend to wake up just as my hands slip beneath his shirt..." she trailed off before raising an eyebrow at him. "What about you? Any interesting dreams?"   
  
"Ah...I dream about girls," he said carefully, but leaving a hint of something untold in his voice. "Well, just this one, actually. But my cursed alarm clock's soul mission in life is to prevent me from getting some in my dreams." He smiled, wondering at how easy it was to just spill all of this personal information forward, like it was nothing.   
  
"Does this girl have a name?"   
  
"Only if Mystery Shadow Man has one."   
  
"You have me there." She smiled good naturedly, and took the cherry out of her drink, plopping it into her mouth and chewing excitedly. She then popped the cherry stem into her mouth before pulling it out, showing that it was knotted in the center. "Isn't that cool? Naru taught me."   
  
Deciding to be immature for the moment, Mamoru picked up a sugar packet and dumped it into his water, stirring it with his straw and licking the end of the straw. "Now I know what that girl meant when she put "oral skills" on her resumé."   
  
Usagi almost chocked at that one, blushing furiously. "You're talking about my best friend here!" She couldn't help but laugh though, it had been rather funny, though at her friend's expense. "Ugh, these tables are too long..I feel so far away from you." She stook up and dragged her chair over so that she was sitting next to him instead of across from him. Her leg brushed his briefly as she got situated. "You don't mind, do you?"   
  
"Not any more than I minded that whole cherry trick. You know, I- "   
  
"Excuse me, sir, ma'am, may I take your orders?"   
  
Mamoru glanced at Usagi, motioning for her to order.   
  
"Umm..Mamoru...everything here is like..over fifty bucks a plate..."   
  
"That's cool, I was hoping we could just live off of sugar packets and cherries anyways." He winked.   
  
The server cleared his throat. "That would not be advisable, sir."   
Mamoru raised an eyebrow at Usagi, in an attemp to keep from laughing, and glanced down at his menu.   
  
"We'll split the spaghetti and vegtable plate," he said to the server, who nodded and walked off to attend to another customer. "I hope that's okay," he said, but in reality, he didn't really. She told him to order for her, so he did.   
  
"Yes, that sounds perfect." She picked up her glass and took a long sip of the wine. Knowing how bad she was at taking alcohol, she tried to take it slow, but it tasted soooo good.   
  
He laughed out loud. "You know," he tapped the bottle of wine at their table, "there's more where that came from. Don't choke." He shrugged. "Ah hell, you only live once, eh?" He took a sip of his wine as well, almost choking himself after reflecting on his last words.   
  
"I can't help it. It's soooo good." she licked her lips, closing her eyes and savoring the taste. "I haven't had wine in a long time."   
  
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I'm not sure, I can't quite remember it's been so long." She set her glass down as the food was put in front of them. Picking up her fork, she grabbed a meatball and ate it carefully, making sure not to get any sauce on her dress or coat. She watched him carefully as she ate, still attempting to figure him out. He made her head spin, or maybe that was the wine. "Hungry?"   
  
He blinked and shook his head, not realizing that he'd been staring at her, and a faint blush tinted his cheeks. "Uh..yeah," he said, picking up his fork and twirling it absently around a piece of spaghetti.   
  
Usagi looked at him curiously as the blush stained his cheek and took another sip of her wine, only to find the glass was empty. Pouting, she set down the empty glass and dejectedly twirled some spaghetti around her fork.   
  
"So who was that girl outside the restaurant?" Mamoru asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled upon the table. He poured another glass of wine for himself, but gave her a look, wondering if he should pour her another glass or not...   
  
She pushed her glass over to him, silently pleading for a refill. "Just some girl I used to know. Why? Attracted to her? She'd probably love to find her way into your backseat." She gasped, the wine was making her pretty blunt and open about what she said. Something that didn't go unnoticed by her adversary. Oh, if she just got a little drunker he could ask any question he damn well pleased, even about that mystery man...  
  
He slowly poured a bit more wine into her glass, but cautiously watched her out of the corner of his eye, determined not to give her too much. She was reacting to the stuff like a drug. Normally, this was the part of the date where he took her home and...well, the rest could be left to imagination. But for some reason, he didn't quite want to leave just yet. The thought of sex was in the back of his mind, he wanted to know more about this woman... "No, I just thought it was vaguely funny. That guy with her was obviously gay, and that guy that started making out with her plays a fag on tv. Perhaps there's more than meets the eye..."   
  
"To Minako? Pft." she snorted, not liking the way the coversation was going. For some odd reason she was getting jealous, it bugged her, but the fact that he was talking about Minako bugged her more.   
  
He stared at her for a second, then got a devilish idea. "She may not be one for brains, but she's definitly hot. Must say that..."   
  
"Yes, I guess some people might say so...if you're into that kind of thing." She dipped her finger into her glass and twirled it absently before bringing it to her lips.   
  
"I wouldn't mind a roll in the hay with that girl..." He watched her lips intently as she lightly sucked her wine-doused finger.   
  
"I'm sure she would fufill your sexual fantasies Mamoru. That girl would do anything for some money."   
  
He whistled. "So the green eyed monster strikes! Eh?" he asked, hoping for some sort of reaction.   
  
"Green eyed mon..why you!" She smacked his arm and locked her eyes with him, glaring at him angrily. "As if I would be jealous that you find her attractive. Scum deserves scum."   
  
"Yes, now, you would say that, wouldn't you? And I hope you don't mind- well, actually I really don't care if you mind or not, but perhaps I may take her up on that. She almost sounds like my type..."   
  
Her stare turned into complete ice before she stood up, throwing her napkin onto the table. "Thank you for dinner Mamoru." she said coldly, making her way passed his chair on her way to exit the courtyard.   
  
Shit. Okay, he had crossed the line. He recapped their last few words again in his mind. Crossed the line? He'd just acted like a total bastard! Ah...okay, there wasn't really a word for that. But that was beside the point! He always acted like that...didn't he? Somehow that bothered him. And somehow he found himself going after her.   
  
"U-usagi! Usagi wait!" he called, feeling like a huge prick. Right then, he wouldn't have blamed her if she didn't turn around. And she didn't. Okay, plan B. He dashed past the entrance to the courtyard, not hearing the waiter shout at him to come back and pay the bill. Finally, he caught up with her. "Usagi, will you turn around? Please?"   
  
She considered it. She wasn't sure why though, maybe it was because she had drank a bit too much alcohol, but she found herself slowly nodding in agreement and turning back towards the courtyard. "I'll stay, but you better behave Mamoru." Hmm...maybe it was because he was so damn sexy and had actually pleaded for her to come back. Maybe.   
  
He sighed in relief. "T-thanks. I eh..." he scratched the back of his head. "I don't think I would- I mean, y- well..." Suddenly, someone put a hand on his shoulder and he gulped. "Uh oh..."   
  
"Sir, if you wouldn't mind, would you please return to your seat or pay the bill and leave?"   
  
Mamoru turned around and flashed a cheeky grin. "Soo sorry about the mix-up, sir. We're staying." Yes. She hadn't left.   
  
Usagi followed him back to the courtyard and sat down again, picking up her wine glass and downing the rest of its content in one gulp. She had needed that. Turning back towards him she smiled, realizing once more what an incredibly sexy man he was. Her eyes travelled over him hungrily, the lack of sex once more taking toll, and she allowed her mind to wander down paths that she new were unsafe at the moment. She didn't care. They were fun paths to take.   
  
"Usagi? You look like you're about to jump across that table and eat me. Which normally I wouldn't mind-" he stopped, remembering he had promised to behave himself. The servor approached them.   
  
"Would you like another bottle of wine?"   
  
Mamoru spotted Usagi nodding vigorously out of the corner of his eye, and he reached out and grabbed the bottle before she could lay hands on it. "No thanks, we're good for now." She shot him a dirty look. "You know, alcohol clouds your reasoning and judgement," he started.   
  
"Which is exactly why I love to drink it. Who needs reasoning and judgment? They only get in the way and prevent a person from having any real fun." She locked eyes with him as she said this before averting her attention to the veggie platter and grabbing a celery stick, nibbling on it thoughtfully.   
  
He laughed aloud at this. "I never thought I'd hear you actually WANT to become disoriented. You strike me as the person who likes to be in control, in charge, never backing down. I like that in a woman. Most of the girls around here...psh." He waved his hand. "Oh, Mr. Chiba!" he mimicked in a high voice that strangely resembled that of a hyena.   
  
She laughed. "I do like to be in control, and I always am. I don't loose any of that when I become drunk, maybe a few morals, but not any of my backbone." She paused for a minute, her mouth becoming extremely dry and her glass now being empty. "Since you won't give me anymore wine, what am I supposed to drink? I'm dying of thirst. Can't I have just one more glass?" She smiled innocently, giving him a pleading look.   
  
"You continue drinking that wine and nothing else, and you'll be puking your guts out tomorrow morning." He signaled for a waiter to bring them a few glasses of water, taking what she'd just said about her morals. Interesting prospect...but she was drunk. It wouldn't be right...would it? Well, she HAD said she still had her good judgement...  
  
"Water?" She made a face and crossed her legs, momentarily forgetting about the slit and how she was supposed to watch it carefully. It almost slid to the point where her 'disappearing underwear' secret would be revealed, but now quite. Still, it left almost all of her leg exposed, and coincidentily, it happened to be the leg closest to Mamoru.   
  
He winced silently, gnawing on the back of his hand and stealing glances under the table. The dispute between his conscience and his hormones picked up the pace considerably. "Y-yes, water. Water's good..." he breathed and quickly picked up his glass of ice water and downed it in two seconds.   
  
"You seem jittery all of a sudden Mamoru, nervous?" She flashed him a smile, scooting up even closer to him. "I really don't know what you're nervous about, this restaraunt has a great reputation, I'm sure you won't get food poisoning." she rambled on, trying to make it seem as if she wasn't meaning to run her foot up and down his pants leg, in an attempt to confuse him.   
  
He froze and his eyes widened. "Oh, believe me, it's not the food I'm worried about...c-hairs, ice water, uh...math...the woodworking channel..." he babbled, trying to think of something boring and definitly NOT sexy to keep himself in check. "Usagi, what are you doing?"   
  
"What do you mean? I'm not doing anything." It was as if a halo appeared over her head, she looked that incredibly innocent. Of course, what she was doing under the table couldn't be labeled the same thing. In fact, it was the exact opposite of innocent. Her foot continued to slowly run up and down his shin, while she kept up an air of innocence, continuing her meal like nothing was happening.   
  
  
Mamoru gripped the table cloth fiercly, his eyes burning with desire. Fine. Apparently she wanted something else... He could play this game.   
  
"Oops!" He 'accidentally' flung a strang of spaghetti onto her lap, over the slit in her dress. "I'm so sorry!" He reached over and picked the strand off of her leg, his knuckles brushing her thigh. He sucked in a deep breath. All of a sudden, he noticed just how tight her dress was around her waist and that there seemed to be no crease marks, no nothing.   
  
Was she- no...no way. Usagi Tsukino wouldn't....she woulnd't be wearing a dress without PANTIES, now would she?   
  
She blinked, and watched as the piece of spaghetti fell onto her lap before he gingerly plucked it off. Of course, the feel of his bare skin again hers, plus the alcohol, was enough to drive her over the edge. Her eyes closed involuntarily and she sucked in her breath, gasping slightly at the tingles that went down her spine. When she opened her eyes again, she didn't even bother to hide the look of desire that filled them. Why bother? He knew that she wanted him.   
  
"Are you still hungry?" he asked huskily.   
  
"Starving." She stood up and threw her napkin onto the table again, grabbing her envelope purse and her new jacket.   
  
"Check please."   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
End Part C  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 


	15. Hot Date, Cold Feet Par D

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku Rating: R Genre: Romance/comedy  
  
Disclaimer: The authors do not own the series Sailor Moon or the characters portrayed in it. These are made and owned by Naoko Takeuchi. Please acknowledge this before trying to sue my clients. ~ Tax Lawyer of Power  
  
Author Note: WOW!!! ^_^ So many reviews! We're so happy. *both do a little jig and wind up running into eachother and passing out on the floor* Anyways, THANKS SO MUCH! Please, please, PLEASE keep the reviews coming. You don't know how inspiring it is to receive them. It makes pesky things such as...writer's block go away. :) Also, welcome our new editor Crystalline Lily! Thank you so much for volunteering and thanks to all those people who offered! We really appreciate all the support!!  
  
Dedication: To our brand new editor and to everyone who reviewed. THANKS!!  
  
  
* * * * * Chapter 9- Hot Date, Cold Feet Part D (Wow, 4 parts?! Long chapter) * * * * *  
  
  
"But sir, you absolutely MUST let us into that courtyard!" Minako pleaded, bending over slightly to reveal a bit more of her cleavage.  
  
He looked interested but he was like one of those guards from England. Nothing affected him. "I'm sorry miss, but this is a restricted area for VIP's only."  
  
"Excuse me, do you know who we are?" Kunzite asked, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
The guard shifted from one foot to the other uneasily. "No..."  
  
Kunzite turned to Minako. "Mina, he doesn't know who we are."  
Minako blinked. Hey, she was a little slow. Should he know who they are?  
Shawn shifted from foot to foot, a bit uncomfortable with the pet name Kunzite had addressed Minako with. Even HE didn't call her Mina and he was her boyfriend.  
  
"Um...yeah. How could you not know us? I mean...um..." She turned to Shawn, who she had previously forgotten. "I'm Jack's girlfriend! You know Jack, the t.v. star?"  
  
"Oh, for God's sake, that's Shawn Hayes...and she's his girlfriend!" Kunzite said, waving his arms at the guard. He'd be damned if those two got away...  
  
"And you sir?"  
  
"Me?" Kunzite asked. "I'm...I'm gay."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But how could he be dating her if he's gay?" the guard asked.  
  
"Why is he calling you Shawn, Jack?"  
  
"My name really is Shawn, Minako." he said, exasperated. "And I'm not really gay, I just play a gay guy on t.v."  
  
"Yes, trust me..." She patted the guard's arm. "He's not gay at all. Nope."  
  
"And what does that imply exactly?" Shawn raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Just what I'd like to know," Kunzite interjected.  
  
"Well, I mean, you wouldn't be that good in bed if you were ga-" She was cut off as he covered her mouth.  
  
"Shhh!" His eyes darted around. "I'm sorry sir, she's a bit...um...slow at times. This is our associate Kunzite."  
  
Kunzite mouthed the words "You are so dead" in their direction...whether or not he was specifying Minako or Shawn was unclear.  
  
"So...you AREN'T gay?" the guard asked again, scratching his head. When Shawn nodded affirmatively, he snapped his finger. Darn. He just played such a convincing role...  
  
"Why...are you?" Shawn asked curiously. Maybe they found someone to dump Kunzite off with after all.  
  
"Sir, please don't answer that," Kunzite pleaded. At this rate, Usagi and Mamoru would be dead before they got in there... "So are you going to let us in there or not?"  
  
"Sorry, I can't. I'd lose my job, and God knows you can't make it in this world without one."  
Minako rolled her eyes. People sure mentioned God a lot on Earth. Sure, he was a great guy and all, but probably not nearly as good in bed as Lucifer had been.   
  
"There's not 'anything' we can do to change your mind?" she asked.  
  
"Come on, he's not going to let us in. I don't think he'd even let us if you flashed him." Shawn said offhandishly. He shouldn't have.  
  
The guard looked intrigued by this idea. "I might let you in if you did that." He wasn't an idiot. Girls like Minako didn't just pop up offering to show off their goods everyday. And the dress she was wearing hadn't gone unnoticed to him.  
  
"Really?!" she squealed, clapping her hands delightedly.  
  
He nodded. "Uh uh. Either you would or you wouldn't, pal. We need your word here."  
Kunzite folded his arms.  
  
Shawn shook his head. "No Minako. There is no way I'm letting you do that. Besides, why do you need to go back there so badly?"  
  
"I definitely would let you back there."  
  
Kunzite looked as if he was in the middle of an internal debate. "Minako, don't do it. I can always just punch him."  
  
"Come on Jack! Don't be such a spoil sport-" she was cut off as a young man with dark, black hair and a young blonde made their way through the door and walked passed them. She blinked. "Um, we don't need to go back there anymore, honey!" She yelled over her shoulder, following the couple out.  
  
Shawn looked utterly baffled, and the guard looked rather disappointed.  
  
Kunzite turned around and looked at the guard. "HA! Pervert." He ran after Minako to get a glimpse of Mamoru.  
  
Once outside the restaurant Minako quickly beeped Ami on her cell phone, giving her the 411 about what was happening, and then her eyes widened. Usagi and Mamoru looked ridiculous as they tried to walk and make out at the same time.  
  
"Minako, I don't see why we had to leave our dinners to...oh! Who are those people having sex in the parking lot?" he whispered, ducking down behind the bush next to her.  
  
Mamoru pressed Usagi up against a car with his body, running his hands through her silken hair. The car obviously didn't belong to him, as was evident when the alarm started going off, but that didnt stop them. It didn't even kill the mood. They just moved right on down to another one.  
"We have..." he gasped between kisses, "fans."  
  
"Mm...what are you.." she paused, a soft purr rising from her throat as they finally made it to his car and she felt his strong body against hers. "...going on about?"  
  
"I mean it's probably an interesting show but..." he fumbled for his keys and unlocked the car. "It's not meant for an audience...."  
  
He opened one of the doors and gently pushed her inside. Pulling him down with her into the car, she instantly began kissing him again. Her hands reached up and her fingers began nimbly unbuttoning his collared shirt. She felt his hand brush against her bare leg and tingles ran down her spine. How could he do this to her? His hands had begun to run down her sides, and when he brushed across her waist and hips only to feel no creases, his earlier suspicions were confirmed.   
She wasn't wearing any underwear.  
  
"You're not wearing underwear," he stated matter of factly. Well, as matter of factly as you can get when you're on top of someone whose not wearing underwear and attempting to disrobe you in their drunken state.  
  
Kunzite turned to Minako. "Would it be unethical to go and look inside the car?"  
  
"Of course not!" She rushed up to the car, Shawn in tow, and came up just in time to hear Usagi's reply.  
  
"I know, they didn't exactly work with my outfit, and I had to look perfect. Not like it really matters now anyway, right? They would've just gotten in the way.." She had finally gotten all the button undone. She ran her hands across his bare skin, relishing the feel of his muscled chest beneath her palms.  
  
"I agree completely."  
  
"Now that," Kunzite gestured and covered his face, "is exactly what I was afraid of."  
  
Starting at the bottom of the slit in her dress, he traced his finger along the exposed skin until he reached the end of it. He kissed her throat and muttered, "Now how does this dress come off?"  
  
"Losing your head in the moment of passion?" She teased, leading his hands back to the zipper. "You're the one that helped me zip it, remember?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Minako hissed at him quietly. "This is awesome! It's like watching a first hand porno movie except about people we know."  
  
"Yes, exactly how DO you know these people?" Shawn asked nervously, turning to look at her and raising an eyebrow.  
  
"What people?"  
  
"The people in the car! What other people are there?"  
  
"There are lots of people in the world."  
  
"Minako-"  
  
"Okay, okay, a friend of mine. Tease her mercilessly about this."  
  
Shawn just rolled his eyes.  
  
Kunzite kept a good distance between himself and the car. Sure, it was Mamoru, and sure he'd love to have something on him, but...okay, this was kind of weird, especially for him. "Minako, don't you DARE take out your camcorder!" he yelled as he saw her reach into her purse, only to pull out a piece of candy. He slapped himself. He'd just given her an idea.  
  
Minako blinked. This was perfect! They could blackmail them. "Yes!" She reached into her purse and pulled out a small camcorder. She had grabbed it from a person in the restaurant earlier, trying to say that she was a reporter to be able to get into the room passed that evil guard. When it hadn't work, she had turned to Jack as bait. Too bad that hadn't worked either. "This will be so perfect!"  
  
"Hey, I'm not the one who tried to drink myself under the table," he said. Nevertheless, he reached around behind her and groped blindly for the zipper, something which neither of them minded too terribly. He found it and tugged at it gently, motioning for her to sit up for a moment.  
  
Just then, Zoicite and Ami pulled up in her car.  
  
"Not that you mind. You probably wouldn't be in this position otherwise." She sat up for him and let her hands roam over to his back. He began to massage the skin on her back as he revealed it and she closed her eyes. "Mamoru..."  
  
Somehow, when she said it this time, it excited him more than it had in the dream.  
  
"So, what did we miss?" Ami scooted up next to Minako and peeked into the car. "Wow, his shirt's already off and he's unzipping her dress? Apparently a good bit..."  
  
Zoicite raised an eyebrow as he saw Kunzite seemingly talking to the sky about how he wanted nothing to do with this. He took his place beside Ami. "And they can't see us?"  
  
"Usagi..." He had to remind himself that this wasn't a dream or some stupid fantasy, that she was really here with him, and he convinced himself by letting his hands roam her skin. She subconsciously whispered his name. Definitely not a dream.  
  
"No, they haven't noticed us yet." Minako replied, while busying herself by filming the two. Wow. They were getting hot and heavy.  
  
Shawn was rather perplexed as he looked at the crowd of people that had begun forming around the car. Wait. Another person was strolling up to them, a guy with long, brown hair...  
  
"What's up?" Nephrite asked as he spotted Minako, Ami, and Zoicite. "Hey, I just saw you- AH! What the hell are they doing in there?!"  
  
"Nephrite, if you don't know the answer to THAT question, maybe we need to have a talk..." Zoicite started.  
  
"I know what they're doing!" he snapped. "But why? And why are you people WATCHING?!"  
  
Suddenly, she started feeling a little dizzy, and she squinted her eyes as she tried to fight off the sick feeling.  
  
"Mamoru...I...I'm so..." her voice trailed off and her grip on him loosened. Her breathing started to become regulated and steady. She had fallen asleep. Mamoru blinked, at first thinking she had just momentarily closed her eyes in passion. But when she didn't open them, he became worried. "Usagi? Usagi?" he tapped her cheek gently. No response. "Usagi, if you want to get me back for what I said back in there, this is NOT the way to..." Damn. She had honestly just fallen asleep. "No! I was soooo close..." he moaned.  
  
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi snuggled up against him in her sleep, resting her head against his chest, and clinging slightly to the fabric of his open shirt. Her dress was still unzipped in the back and had flopped over slightly in the front, to reveal part of her bra. The dress had also bunched up around her legs, revealing all of one and most of the other. These conditions didn't make it much easier for Mamoru.  
  
Mamoru groaned. "Come on, I'm not that kind of guy, but you're not helping!"  
  
Minako giggled and rummaged around in her purse until she found a video camera and pressed it up against the window. Mamoru was sitting there on his knees, trying to decide which would be worse, a law suit against him from Usagi, or...okay, so that one won out. But he suddenly noticed a tapping against the window, and he looked up.  
  
Sixteen eyes stared back at him.  
  
"What the HELL are all of you doing here?" Mamoru roared at the top of his lungs. Silence. "Oh, sorry." He rolled down the window. "What the HELL are all of you doing here?" Mamoru roared at the top of his lungs again.  
  
"Uh...eating?"  
  
"No, that's what he's doing-"  
  
"JACK!"  
  
"Sorry!"  
  
Mamoru's eyes widened in shock. "How long have you- never mind, I really don't wanna know. I'll deal with you later," he said in a cold tone, his eyes narrowing. He rolled the window up, much to the disappointment of his "audience."  
  
Mamoru crawled over into the driver's seat and sat there, gripping the steering wheel and staring straight ahead.  
  
"Well, where to now, Usagi?" he demanded of the sleeping figure in the back seat. He glanced into the rearview mirror. Usagi lay sprawled on her back with one arm tossed over her middle and the other resting on her head. The top of her dress was pulled down to expose a little cleavage and her skirt was hiked up almost past her knees. Despite the fact that the entire position was totally turning him on, she looked...well...damn cute.  
  
"Mamo-chan," she murmured sleepily for the second time.  
  
He blinked. "No, no, no. Mamoru, she is not just some stray puppy you can take home with you!"  
Usagi yawned and rolled over onto her side to get into a more comfortable position. She shivered a bit, and Mamoru rummaged around on the floor of his car for her coat. He draped it gently across her shoulders and she smiled to herself, as if lost in some private dream.  
  
"Mmm...Mamo-chan."  
  
"Mamoru, you are not taking her home with you."  
  
* * * * * * End Part D * * * * * *  
  
Edited by Crystalline Lily December 30.  
Editor's Note: Happy New Year!!! 


	16. Morning Mishaps

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Ratings: R  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Stara and Nataku do not own Sailor Moon, nor any of it's characters/ideas (including sexy Mamoru). At first, this sadened us, but when we actually thought about it, we realized that each of us is so busy eating pretzels, watching anime, writing this story, and trying to pass English (ironically enough) that there would be no time for massive court battles anyways. Plus, our tax lawyer is REALLY starting to up his prices.  
  
  
Author Note: This chapter's been done for about a month now, but we have been SOOO incredibly busy with school alone that we're just now putting it together. And get this- there's more! We just haven't had the time to organize it all yet! We're so sorry, and we appreciate each and every e-mail/review we recieve. So keep them coming- we promise you haven't seen nothing yet!  
  
If you always skip the author notes (which we put our heart and soul into, thank you very much), start reading here.  
  
Usagi groaned loudly as she turned over in bed, sweat soaking her forehead causing her hair to stick to her face. Slowly opening her eyes, she groggily looked around the room as they adjusted. Dark navy walls, black and red furniture, white curtains....where the hell was she?! Throwing back the covers, she sat up quickly, only to clutch her head and collapse on the bed once more. That had not been a good move.  
  
Sighing, she slowly sat up and rubbed her temples before continuing to examine her surroundings. The room was definitely masculine, decorated in dark hues that contrasted strikingly, but still seemed to blend together somehow. It was spotless, and only the small pile of neatly folded clothes on one of the chairs indicated that someone actually lived in the room. Instead of photographs of family members and friends-cologne, stacks of neatly piled papers, and books were set down on various surfaces. The only living thing, a single, red rose, was placed on the bedside table, next to the alarm clock. She gripped the sheet in her hand, only to be met with the wonderful feel of silk against her skin. While this was a mild comfort, at least this person had treated her nicely, she was still very disturbed that she had no clue where she was.  
  
With a sudden lurch, she felt her stomach start to give and pushed all other thoughts from her mind. Flinging open a door, which she prayed led to a bathroom, she squatted in front of the toilet and completely emptied her stomach.  
  
She swore never to get drunk again, even while acknowledging she would never keep the oath.  
  
The condensation from hot, running water felt sticky and humid on her bare skin, and the low humming of a deep voice reached her ears, but Usagi could focus on one thing only: the pristine white- scratch that, WAS pristine white toilet to the far side of the bathroom. Ah yes. Thank God for toilets.  
  
Suddenly, the humming stopped, and Mamoru flung the shower curtain open. Usagi became aware of the sound of water running- and many other things. She gasped, letting her eyes travel over his nude form, none which he bothered to hide too well. He seemed unphased, and stood there, staring at her huddled form in confusion.  
  
She blushed and covered her eyes, only to find that she needed to throw up once more. Slightly embarrassed that she had to do so in front of her adversary, she made her best effort at keeping him from being able to view most of it. Even while throwing up, she was still conscious that he was completely, and utterly sexy. Ugh. How had her mind wandered down that path even while she was puking? Wait. Wasn't he naked?! Tears came to her eyes as the embarrassment settled in completely, and she flushed the toilet dejectedly when her stomach was once again finished purging itself of anything she had eaten in her entire life...probably her past life as well.  
  
Mamoru raised an eyebrow, but turned off the water and slid a towel around his waist nevertheless. He reached into his medicine cabinet behind the mirror and took out an aspirin and a glass. Filling the glass with water, he handed both to her, which she accepted graciously. When she had downed both, he leaned against the wall next to her and folded his arms across his chest.   
"Let me guess..." he asked in a taunting tone. "Hangover?"  
  
"Aren't you clever?" She snapped, taking another long sip of the tap water. Wasn't it enough that he had seen her so weak? Of course not, he had to tease her as well. Sighing, she twisted the material of her t-shirt around   
her finger.  
  
Wait.  
  
T-shirt?!  
  
Looking down at her attire, she suddenly realized that she hadn't been wearing a Tokyo University t-shirt and a pair of paisley boxer shorts the night before. With horror, reality dawned on her. She was at Mamoru's house. She had been drunk the night before. Mamoru was uninhibited about seeing her naked. They had slept together!  
  
"You should have seen yourself last night." He ignored her sarcastic comment. "You were completely wild; we almost didn't make it out of the parking lot." Usagi's eyes widened.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yeah. But, unfortunately, when we got into the car, just as I was unzipping your dress..." His eyes glazed over for a minute as he recalled those few moments in heaven. "...you fell asleep."  
  
"Mamoru, hearing that just proves that you are the biggest jacka-" Usagi stopped and looked up at him suddenly, eyes widening. "I...I...fell asleep? Wait...that means...that means that we didn't have sex! YES!" She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him to her. "We didn't have sex, we didn't have sex!"  
  
"Yes," he said sadly. "We didn't have sex...holy shit, THAT'S what you thought I was talking about?!"  
  
"What was I supposed to think?!" She shrieked, placing her hands on her hips. "You were wild." she added, mimicking him.  
  
"Well, you were!" he cocked his head at her. "Up until you passed out..." he trailed off, smiling at the memory of almost getting laid...even if it was just a memory...  
  
"The fact that I'm in your apartment didn't exactly help either, Mamoru. Oh yeah...how exactly did I get into these clothes? I mean, I KNOW they're not mine and-" her voice trailed off and she glared at him. "I wasn't wearing panties! YOU PERVERT! Seriously Mamoru, were you so horny that you HAD to have it? Even while I was SLEEPING?!!!!"  
  
Mamoru scratched his head. "What do you mean, while you were sleeping- " He covered his mouth. "Oh my God! Ew! That's disgusting!"  
  
"Well, then explain it to me. How did I get in these clothes?"  
  
Mamoru paused to think.  
  
~FLASHBACK~  
  
"Jeeze, you're heavy!" Mamoru exclaimed as he shouldered Usagi's snoring form. Despite her unconsciousness, her foot still managed to kick him in the gut. "Oomph!" He sighed. "Guess I better be careful about what I say."  
  
He gingerly laid her on his bed amidst a pile of clean clothes fresh from the laundry. Suddenly, Usagi's eyes squinted up in pain, and she clutched her stomach and moaned.  
  
"Oh, hell no!" he cried and dashed off to find a wastebasket, muttering to himself. "I paid too much money for that Lands end bedcover!"  
  
Usagi moaned again and rolled over onto her side, burying her head into a pair of Mamoru's boxers. They felt soft and warm against her bare skin. Giggling and not quite aware of her surroundings, Usagi grabbed a pair of his flannel boxers and slipped into them. Then she found an old t-shirt with the sleeves crudely ripped off and put that on, too. Sighing with contentment, Usagi's eyes fluttered shut, and she drifted off, this time for good.  
  
Just then, Mamoru returned with a trash can and a pitcher of cold water.   
"AH!"  
he cried when he saw her dressed in his underwear. He shook his head. "I   
have no  
idea how you did that..."  
  
~End of Flashback~  
  
"I have no idea how you did that..."  
  
Usagi blinked. It sounded like something she would do in her drunken state. "Oh, well..I..uh.." She looked up at him, finally noticing that he was clad only in a towel. "Sexy." Wow. Did she change moods fast.  
  
Mamoru burst out laughing. "How could you ever say you're NOT a direct person, Usagi?" He reached out a hand and helped her off the floor. "now, I personally have no objections to you running around in my drawers all day- in fact, I find it quite a turn on." Though, you'd look much better out of them, he thought, raking his eyes across her chest. "So feel free to stay as you are!" He smiled. She slapped his arm. "But in the sad occurrence you want to change...well, then we're  
S.O.L."  
  
She laughed, but quickly found out how bad of an idea that was when she wound up clutching her stomach in agony. "Do you happen to have any stomach medicine?" She looked up at him pleadingly.  
  
Mamoru sighed in relief. Thank God she didn't need THAT type of medicine. "Yeah, I've got some Ibuprofen."  
  
"Thanks so much!" She hugged him before hurrying out of the bathroom door. Looking in the mirror, she realized with dismay that she looked almost as awful as she felt. She ran fingers through her now sweat-lined hair and grimaced. Yeah, a shower was definitely in order. She quickly stripped off the t-shirt and boxers and turned on the shower before jumping in. Picking up a bottle of shampoo, she opened it and nearly melted when the smell wafted in the air. The scent of crushed roses was familiar.  
  
It smelled like Mamoru.  
  
Giggling she started massaging it into her head, the hot water mixed with the feel of becoming clean, causing her to close her eyes and groan.  
  
Outside the door, Mamoru tapped his foot impatiently. "I wasn't finished, you know," he said, but his words couldn't be heard above the noise from the shower. "Hmm...but wouldn't that be a perfectly logical excuse to just barge in?" Mamoru loved rationalizing with himself. With his lack of morals and concern for only himself, everything always worked out!  
  
He pushed open the door and sang happily, "I'm coming in!"  
  
Usagi froze.  
  
What?!  
  
She poked her head out from behind the shower curtain. "W-what are you-I mean you-GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"  
  
Mamoru grinned, "Get out of my own bathroom? I think not. Don't worry, I won't look."  
  
Usagi sighed in frustration and pulled the curtain closed.  
  
"Much," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"What I forgot about is that I have absolutely nothing to wear when I get out..you sure you don't have anything?" She also noticed that she could see shadowy outlines through the curtain. "And, you can't see anything, can you?" Worry crept into her voice as she nervously ran her hands down her sides, her first instinct being to make sure that herstomach was still flat. It was. Thank God.  
  
"Uh..." he said dumbly, as the curved hourglass shadow began to move in a sensual fashion.  
(which, in reality, was just Usagi bathing). "Nope. Not a thin." Mamoru flung open his bathroom mirror and fumbled for his toothbrush, never taking his eyes off the curtain. "All I got is men's clothing," he added after spitting. The idea of her wearing his clothes irked the pretentious side of him, but his lower (and often better) half, was all for it.  
  
"And you don't have a Wal-Mart or anything nearby? No, forget I asked. You'd probably wind up leaving me in an alley somewhere of something." She turned off the shower and rung out her hair. "Can you please hand me a towel?"  
  
"Sure thing." Mamoru grabbed a washcloth and tossed it over the curtain to her.  
  
"Should I be offended?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I'm not THAT tiny, am I?"  
  
"I dunno, put it on and come out so I can see."  
  
"Pervert."  
  
"Cherry."  
  
"I am NOT a cherry!"  
  
Mamoru chuckled and handed her a (regular-sized) towel. "See, I knew it. That how I like my women-experienced."  
  
"Hmph." She pulled the shower curtain to the side and stepped out, placing her hands on her hips. "If you must know, I was a virgin until I was seventeen." She tossed someof the wet hair that was clinging to her face, over her shoulder. "But now..." She trailed off, sauntering over to him. Bare arms came up to wrap around his neck, her body pressed up against his, their towels being the only barrier between them. "I'm often called a sex goddess." She purred, her long, smooth legs rubbing up against his. The towel was shorter than anything he had seen her wear before.  
  
Mamoru exhaled sharply and took in the new scent that filled his nostrils-her. The feel of every curve pressing against his firm body was taking his control further and further away, leaving him thoughtless and full of desire. He blinked and caught her eye, and for a second, an electric shock ran through him, sending a shiver down his spine. She batted her eyelashes unknowingly. At first, lust seemed to fill her gaze, but Mamoru looked harder. And then he saw-or rather, he felt it. Usagi's eyes were innocent. Everything around her had marred this from her-Earth, Hell, himself...but it was still there.  
  
"Usagi," he breathed. "How can you do this to me?"  
  
"Do what to you?" She whispered, all sultriness leaving her voice as she began to realize how close he was standing and how much it was affecting her. For some odd reason, she wasn't able to shake him off like all the other men, her mind was filled with thoughts of Mamoru. Shivering slightly from the contact, her fingers idly teased the hair at the nape of his neck. Why was he able to make her forget everything so quickly? Why did time always seem to slow down and her heart always speed up whenever he was near?  
  
Mamoru swallowed. "You...make me fell.." he struggled to explain the passionate fire in his veins. "Like this!" Mamoru violently pushed her up against the wall and pressed his lips against hers, bruising them with his force. Her eyes widened in surprise, then something unreadable. In the back of his mind, he worried if he was hurting her, but it was too late to stop it now. She had barely parted her lips when he delved deeper into her mouth and moaned.  
  
She pulled him closer and returned the kiss eagerly, after having gotten over the initial shock. The kiss was odd, unlike any she had ever received before and that was definitely a good thing. Somehow it was hard and soft and tender and hungry all at the same time. Her arms moved from around his neck and her fingertips lightly traced the contours of his chest. She nearly groaned when they came in contact with his six pack.  
  
His skin seemed to catch on fire wherever she touched, causing him to groan into her mouth. His hands wandered down the sides of her body, and he cupped one of her breasts in his hand, massaging it lightly with his fingers. Her legs wrapped around his body, and his instincts began to take over as he moved to remove the towel..  
  
"Eh, Mamoru! I brought pizza with me! I tried knocking on your door, but you weren't answer-OH!" Motoki stopped, the pizza box falling to the floor as he saw Mamoru in a towel, making out with a girl in a towel.  
  
'Go away!' Mamoru willed. 'Just go the fuck away!' When the annoying voice was silent, he smiled triumphantly into the kiss and continued to ravage her mouth.  
  
"Uh...Mamoru?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Mamoru?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Mam-"  
  
"Motoki, you better have a damn good reason for this!!!" he cried as he broke away from Usagi and glared at his friend menacingly.  
  
"Okay, dude, you have GOT to tell me how you manage to get all these hot, naked chicks to just make out with you in your own bathroom-"  
  
"Can I kill you now?"  
  
"First you might want to put some clothes on-"  
  
Usagi, looking thoroughly confused, brought her hand to her lips and blushed a bright crimson. "Excuse me..." She quickly pushed her way out of the bathroom and into Mamoru's room. Searching through his drawers, she grabbed a clean t-shirt and a pair of biking shorts. The shirt and shorts were too big, but she easily remedied this by tying the shirt at her waist and rolling the short up as far as she could. Perfect. It was at that moment the yelling stopped and Motoki was shoved into the room.  
  
"Hi!" He smiled and waved, eyes nearly popping out at the sight of her. "Name's Motoki."  
  
"I'm Usagi." She giggled, finding his mood infectious. Her voice caressed his ears in a sensual manner and it was all he could do from grabbing hold of her. Wait. She was Mamoru's.  
  
"So, how long have you been seeing Mamoru."  
  
"Well, actually, we're not dati-"  
  
Mamoru's voice reached the room, cutting her off. "Usagi, are you in there?"  
  
She blinked. "Uh...yeah?" She said, annoyed.  
  
"Oh...uh...are you decent?"  
  
"Yeah...why?" She got a confused look on her face and Motoki just shrugged.   
  
"Are you?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Need me to bring you some clothes?" She asked innocently. Motoki raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, actually...that would be great."  
  
She smiled. "Okay!" Blindly grabbing a few random articles of clothing, she dashed back into the bathroom and slammed the door. The sound of glass breaking and Usagi excited giggle filled Motoki's ears and his eyes widened.  
  
"Here you go." She held out her arms, containing the clothes and let her eyes roam over his body once more. She did it subtly though, or so she thought.  
  
He motioned for her to turn around. She looked puzzled and he laughed. "Well, you're welcome to watch me dress if you like..." She turned abruptly, but knocked a glass of water in the process.  
  
"Klutz." Mamoru smiled and reached for a wastebasket. His shirt hung loose on his shoulders and was unbuttoned. Usagi couldn't control the giggle that slipped out next.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Motoki pressed an ear to the door and his eyes widened in shock. A rustling of clothes could be heard and low sounds coming from Mamoru.  
  
"Are you done yet?" Well, THAT had been Usagi...Wait. WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT?!  
  
"Almost, hang on..." Mamoru's deep voice was heard through the door. And a loud groan followed his words. Motoki raised an eyebrow. This was interesting...  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The idea Motoki was getting, was actually far from the truth though, as Mamoru struggled to get on his pants. Unfortunately, he was still damp, and this caused an unpleasant sensation as he tugged them over his hips. He grunted in frustration.  
  
"Are you done yet?" Usagi asked impatiently, back still turned away from him.  
  
"Almost hang on..." He let out one final groan before they finally settled around his waist. He zippered and buttoned them quickly. "Yes, I'm done. It took me forever to get those pants on, because I'm still wet."  
  
"Sure, that's why."  
  
"What's THAT supposed to mean?!"  
  
"You're getting fat!"  
  
"Am not! This Hon..." He lifted up his t-shirt to reveal his perfect six pack, "Is nothing but muscle." Usagi nearly fainted.  
  
He was sooo sexy!  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Oh Mamoru...won't you just give it to me?"  
  
Motoki snapped back to attention as he heard Usagi's sensual voice waft through the door. He tried the lock again, but the door refused to open.  
  
A reluctant sigh was heard from Mamoru. "Oh, all right..."  
  
Soon, soft moans of pleasure could be heard. "Mmm...Mamoru that feels SO good...Mmmm Gods Mamoru....harder, Mamoru, harder..."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Though Mamoru's bed had been super comfortable, Usagi still had knots in her back from their 'parking-lot-escapades' earlier the night before. "Aren't you good at giving massages?" She asked, innocently.  
  
"Yes, but..." he sighed when he saw her pleading look. "Oh, all right..." Sitting down on the toilet (with the lid on), he motioned for her to sit on his lap. As soon as she did, he began his ministrations.  
  
"Mmm...Mamoru...harder...Gods Mamoru!" She threw her head back and closed her eyes as his hands worked miracles on her back. Faintly, she acknowledged exactly how good he was at using his hands and other places she might want to see them put to use, but she quickly squandered such ideas.  
  
Unknown to her, his mind was going down the same path.  
  
Mamoru had to bite his lip to keep from crying out. His hands reached beneath her shirt to continue the massage...her skin was so soft. The fact that she kept shifting in his lap and that her hands were gripping his knees as she groaned out in ecstasy, didn't really help either. Aware of his growing arousal, he quickly pushed her off his lap before she could notice. He received a puzzled look, to which he merely shrugged. "My hands got tired."  
  
"You really do give the best massages, Mamoru." Usagi stood up and stressed, beaming over at him. "But I must say that I am completely starved."  
  
"You're hungry?! I thought you had an upset stomach..."  
  
"Oh yeah. Oh well, might as well test it right?"  
  
"Um...yeah...sure..." He opened the door to the bathroom and then saw Motoki's eyes widen before the blonde fell at his feet.  
  
"Uh..hi!" Motoki waved at them weakly from his spot on the floor. They just stared at him kind of funny. "CAN YOU HELP ME UP?!"  
  
Mamoru rolled his eyes and reached out a hand to help him up.  
  
"Say Mamoru, I was thinking..."  
  
"No."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No."  
  
"You're no fun...."  
  
"Oh, just-"  
  
"Umm....I'm still hungry here," Usagi interjected.  
  
"Funny, I thought Mamoru just fed you."  
  
"No he didn't-YOU CREEP!" She whacked him across the back of the head.  
  
"OWWY! Hey, I already fell to the ground, now you're hitting me? What is it, abuse Motoki day?"  
  
"Actually, that's an interesting prospect...I should talk to the mayor about that."  
  
"Shut up, Mamoru."  
  
Mamoru crossed his arms. "Eavesdropper."  
  
Motoki crossed his arms. "Miser."  
  
"Pervert."  
  
"Cheap-ass -"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Usagi yelled.  
  
Mamoru and Motoki exchanged glances. "Hungry?"  
  
  
"Sure am."  
  
"Wait, do any of you know how to cook?"  
  
"I do!" Mamoru smiled and placed his hands on his hips, laughing loudly.  
  
"Uh uh, if I remember correctly I'M the one that owns the malt shop. I think I'm better prepared to cook."  
  
"You own a malt shop?!!! COOL! Can you say discount?"  
  
"Usagi, is all you ever think about food?"  
  
"No, I enjoy sex too." She smiled with both men stopped to look at her and gulped.  
  
Motoki jabbed Mamoru in the ribs. "You liar."  
  
"I wasn't lying! We really didn't- oh, never mind." Mamoru shook his head and grabbed his keys and coat off of the key hook mounted into the wall.  
  
"Hey, who said I was giving you guys free food?" Motoki demanded.  
  
Usagi, not having heard this, bent over in search of her shoes, providing the two men with a very nice view.  
  
"That's why," Mamoru finished.  
  
Usagi sat up and raised her eyebrows at the two men. "What?"  
  
"Nothing." Motoki turned to Mamoru. "Yeah, I guess I can give you breakfast for free this ONCE."  
  
"And you called me cheap..."  
  
"YOU ARE CHEAP!" Usagi and Motoki cried out in unison, then burst into giggles. Mamoru did not find this very funny.  
  
"So...Mamoru..." Usagi walked up to him and wrapped one of his arms around her waist. "What was it you were 'saying' about how I make you feel?"  
  
"Do I even WANT to hear this?"  
  
"Probably not."  
  
"I'll listen anyway."  
  
"Go away, Motoki."  
  
"Hey! I'm the one giving you free breakfast!" 


	17. Author Note

This update is an author note, so please, don't get your hopes up. (Just kidding. Teehee)  
  
Here at Stara-Nataku Inc. we have realized that our story has not been updated for nearly a year. A WHOLE YEAR! Well, you'll be happy to hear that we have realized this (as mentioned above) and are in a scramble to fix it. The story has been done for nearly a year (A YEAR!), and we've just been too lazy to post it. ^^;; (Kind of forgot about it you see)  
  
Well, here's some news that you will (hopefully) have you jumping for joy:  
  
WE ARE GOING TO UPDATE! Woohoo! New chapters will be posted shortly, and you'll be surprised what twists we've thrown in to, well, throw you off.  
  
Ah, but a less welcome update as well: we plan to redo the story. Yes, so, we're going to rewrite it, to make it more understandable, funnier, and more deep. In the end we hope to have a much better story for all of you to enjoy.  
  
So please, bear with us as we take on this wonderful (and hard) job of remaking the story for you.   
  
~Stara and Nataku 


	18. Elevator Music

Title: Heaven, Hell, and Somewhere in Between  
  
Authors: Stara and Nataku  
  
Genre: Romance/Alternate Reality  
  
Disclaimer: Despite how long that we have been working (or not working) on this story, we are sad to report that Naoko Takeuchi has still not given us the rights to Sailor Moon or any of its characters. Soooo, it's still hers. Poo.  
  
Author Note: After nearly a year and a half without updating (Hm, maybe longer than that) the next chapter is finally here. Yes, finally here! We here at Stara and Nataku Inc realize that we have been exceptionally lazy for an (dare I repeat the word? I think I will) exceptionally long time. We are sure that all of you (if there are any of you left) are absolutely dying to read this, so, here ya go! Without further ado, we present to you Chapter 11.  
  
Chapter 11 - Elevator Music  
  
Usagi met Mamoru's eyes, continuing to probe him for information on exactly how he was going to fill her insatiable appetite. However, Motoki also seemed to want in on the 'action'.  
  
"Hey, I'm the one giving you breakfast!"  
  
"Ignore him," Usagi said, rolling her eyes. "So, Mamoru, please continue explaining how I make you ifeel/i."  
  
"Err...." Mamoru started. "I thought I," he lowered his voice, "already showed you?"   
  
"That was it?" She sighed heavily as if disappointed, "I was sure it would've been more something but...no... that was so...so...blah."   
  
"And his ego takes a hit!"  
  
"Shut up, Motoki!" Both of them yelled at the same time. The blonde arcade owner cowered from their glares, throwing his hands up to shield himself.  
  
"You know, Usagi, we could always go to that nice COFFEE shop downtown, you know, the one across the street from that RAT-infested arcade/malt shop-"   
  
"Shutting up...." Motoki had absolutely NO intention of letting them go anywhere else to eat. It was iway/i to amusing to watch the two of them.  
  
Once he had silenced the glowering Motoki, Mamoru whipped his head around. "BLAH?!" he hissed.   
  
"Yes, blah. I've been kissed like that so many times," She sighed again. "When I saw you I thought for sure that your kiss would have been different, but no. It's the same as all the others. You'd think you were all taught by the same woman...hmm...probably Beryl.." Her eyes widened slightly before she began to stutter. "I mean...probably...ba-barely a good kisser herself."   
  
"Are you egging me on?" he asked, his eyes flashing. Mamoru did not take criticism very well.   
  
Motoki reached the elevator and pressed the button. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he suddenly got one of those (very rare) ideas. "Heh heh heh....guys, I'll meet you down in the lobby!" He called and dashed towards the stairs. There, he perched himself on a railing and waited.   
  
"Alright, Motoki!" Mamoru shouted. Good. This would give them a chance to talk in the elevator alone, without the prying ears of his best friend. Mamoru buzzed for an elevator and stepped inside. Once Usagi was in, he set it to the first floor. "I'll have you know I've made women cry before when I kissed them."   
  
"Aw, Mamoru, I didn't think you were ithat/i bad. I mean, it wasn't great...but nothing to cry over."  
  
"Didn't see YOU complaining!"  
  
Motoki cackled evilly to himself, almost falling off the railing to his death, but he caught himself in time and ran back toward the elevators, standing beside a new one. He pressed the button and hopped inside a new elevator. Motoki stuck his foot between the doors to keep them from closing and fumbled on the wall until he found what he was looking for- the emergency stop button. He pressed it.  
  
Motoki laughed again and stepped outside of the elevator. "Have fun, kids!" he said and started leisurely making his way down the stairs.  
  
Suddenly, an alarm filled the elevators. Mamoru cursed under his breath. "Damn old beasts! Broken again!" He kicked the wall.  
  
Usagi ignored the alarm and returned to the argument at hand. "I was trying to make it work! But NO! You kiss just like him...them. Like them."  
  
The alarm shut off and the elevator jolted once before stopping all together. Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Like who, Miss Tsukino?" he asked sarcastically.   
  
"All of them...John, Mike, Tony, Daniel..." She leaned against the side of the elevator, Lucifer's face running through her mind. What name had she given him earlier? Oh yes. "And...and...Luke. You're all the same."  
  
"Well, no one FORCED you to 'endure' the kiss, did they?" he shouted, annoyed.  
  
"No, you're right. I don't know why you're taking it so personally...I mean, it's not like it was the best kiss you've ever had before, right?"  
  
"You are absolutely right; it wasn't." Mamoru stared blankly ahead at the far wall of the elevator, his face calm but his insides raging.  
  
Usagi sat down on the ground, leaning her back against the wall. "I wish I had a pair of underwear. I would even take a thong!" She turned towards him. "Those things are torture chambers I tell you!"  
  
Mamoru recognized her attempt to change the subject and half smiled. "I know...," he said under his breath. What? So he was KINKY.  
  
"I'm sorry...I'm just kind of frustrated I guess. And no, not just sexually as I know that was the first thing to run through your mind."  
  
"At what?" Mamoru's gaze softened, but never left it's place on the wall.  
  
Everything." She sighed looking down at her hands. "Do you know what it's like to have a talent and not be able to use it? That's not even the worst of it, the one person I didn't want to bring it out does and now I have my ex-boyfriend watching my every move. It's driving me completely crazy. I guess three years of being with a person will make them possessive though…"  
  
Mamoru frowned and turned towards her. "Usagi? Have you thought of pressing charges? Maniacs like that can be put behind bars."   
  
She laughed at that. She laughed REALLY hard. The thought of being able to throw Lucifer in jail was completely preposterous. "That would be harder than throwing you into jail for something, Mamoru."  
  
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that last comment. What is he, a millionaire? Actor? Singer? Oh God..." Mamoru gasped. "You dated a politician."   
  
"Nope, worse, he's the devil."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but how much MONEY does he have?"  
  
"None, he doesn't really need it. Not where he's from anyway."  
  
Mamoru shrugged. "Then just hire an assassin." Suddenly he spun around and searched for any security cameras in the elevator. "Heh..." he laughed nervously, "I mean, I was totally joking. Murdering is WRONG."   
  
She started laughing again. "Trust me, if he could be killed, I would've done it a long time ago." She HAD to get him off this topic..."So, how's Rei?" she blurted out before thinking. Oh that's just great Usagi! Just great!   
  
He chuckled. "How's Rei? God only knows...haven't heard from her since that day I talked to her in my office when you were there."   
  
"Really? Hm, mind if I ask how you know her exactly?"  
  
"Eh.... Not really. I was in a bar one night and Rei had a little too much to drink. She started a fight with the barman about the definition of having had too much, and before you knew it, the whole place was in uproar. I thought she was cute, so I grabbed her and got her out of the bar before the cops showed up. And if you know Rei, you know that once she comes into your life, she doesn't go out."  
  
"Yes, I know exactly what you mean." She laughed. "Her and I did business together in the past...it was odd seeing her again, but I have a feeling she was never completely out of touch." She paused for a minute before standing up and walking next to him, making him look at her. For some odd reason, she had an evil smirk on her face. "Even she's a better kisser than you."  
  
Mamoru looked away. "Girl please."   
  
"It was a dare at some party. You know, girl kiss girl so guys can get a hard on. I wonder why that turns guys on anyway. Hmm..." she went on, still taunting him. "Of course, maybe it was the lack of clothing messing with my brain. Maybe you are a better kisser than you appear to be."  
  
"Damn straight. Do I need to 'prove' it again?"  
  
"Like you could sway me."  
  
"You're asking for it...."  
  
"Asking for what, Mamoru?" She turned towards him and smiled innocently.   
  
"You mean you don't want it?" Mamoru asked, feigning confusion. He stuck one arm against the wall next to her and the other on the opposite side of her body, trapping her against the wall.   
  
"Want what?" she breathed, looking up at him with fake curiosity.  
  
He growled in frustration. "You little wench, you always play this game with me." He smiled to show that he really didn't mind. In face, he moved closer.  
  
"I am not a wench," she snapped, glaring up at him defiantly. "You're just mad because you're always the one begging for more where as I am indifferent."  
  
"Fine," he laughed and pulled away, sauntering to the opposite corner of the elevator. "Doesn't bother me ONE BIT."  
  
"Fine!" Damn, she was being repetitive now. What was she, a friggin parrot?! She shivered when the elevator's air conditioning came on and untied the shirt from its knot, letting it give the illusion that it was the only thing she was wearing. "Aren't you cold? It's freezing in here."  
  
"I'm not the one dressed like an escaped biker waitress from a mental hospital. But, to tell you the truth, this isn't the first time the elevator's stalled. You wouldn't want to be in here if the AC wasn't on." He tossed her his coat.  
  
"First off," She held up on finger, "they're your clothes, Mamoru." He rolled his eyes. "Secondly, thank you!" She quickly wrapped the jacket around her. "You know, I'm kinda afraid of the dark..."  
  
"So."  
  
"Well, it would be really bad if the lights went ou-"  
  
Suddenly, the lights went out.  
  
Usagi's scream pierced the air and a loud thud was heart before she called out his name. "Mamoru?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm scared."  
  
"No shit, Sherlock."  
  
"Help me up!"  
  
"Where the hell ARE you?"  
  
"Just stick your hands out and grab for anything...what the-HEY!" Smack.  
  
"Owww!"  
  
"I'll smack you again if you ever grab my ass like that."  
  
"I couldn't see," Mamoru protested. She reached out and crawled into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist. Yeah, after having examined both the dark and Mamoru, she had decided that he was the lesser of the two evils. "Oh, so I can't touch you, but you're allowed to come and sit on my lap? Where's the logic in that?"  
  
"Like you mind."  
  
"No, not really." He smiled saucily, though she couldn't see it in the dark.  
  
"Wipe that smug smile off your face."  
  
"Wait. HOW DID YOU KNOW?!"  
  
"I know you too well."  
  
"Hmph." He drummed his fingers on her stomach lazily, trying to think of something to talk about." So, you're afraid of the dark?"  
  
"Yeah, I know it's silly," she laughed, resting her head against his chest. "Aren't you afraid of anything."  
  
"No."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Are so."  
  
"Not."  
  
"Are."  
  
"Not."  
  
"Are."  
  
"FINE!" Throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation, he growled in her ear. "You are one of the most frustrating women I know."  
  
"I have to keep you on your toes."   
  
"So it seems." He got a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, my parents died when I was really young...about six, on my birthday." He hesitated when he heard her soft gasp, trying to decide if telling her this was going to cost him too much. "I lived in orphanages for a few years, but I was really bitter. As soon as I could, I got myself out of there and put myself through school..."  
  
"That's amazing."  
  
"Yeah, well, I wasn't very popular. You know, too busy working and stuff. Plus, I think I came off as a bit arrogant."  
  
"I wonder why," she said sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah," he laughed sadly, trying to hide the weakness in his voice. "One day I got really, really sick. I was in the hospital for over a year and never had a single visitor." His eyes began to well up with tears, and his voice got quieter. "No one even came to my funeral-I mean- I bet no one would have come to my funeral IF I had died." He was finding it hard to continue as he choked out the words, holding back tears. How could this subject still make him so weak? Him, powerful Endymion, the demon who single-handedly wreaked havoc in Heaven, brought to his knees by something as simple as...loneliness. "So, that's my greatest fear. Having no one who cares enough to come to my funeral when I die..."  
  
For a while, it was quiet, which he was thankful for, before she got up the nerve to speak.  
  
"I care," she whispered softly, gripping his hand with her own.  
  
"Usagi...please..." He was barely holding on now; the tears were screaming to be let loose.  
  
"Just let it out, Mamoru. Let it all out." She turned in his lap and kissed him softly, but was met with the same barrier she was used to. She made the kiss more urgent, begging him to open up to her, using her lips to coax him out of his shell. Reluctant at first, he finally did so, and she was shocked at the force and sheer amount of emotions that hit her all at once. But, as the kiss deepened, one stood out above all the others.  
  
Pain.  
  
So much pain.  
  
Mamoru struggled to maintain his facade, so much that he began shaking. Before he could stop it, he was in her arms, sobbing like a child. The grief and the anger and the hurt had built up so much, so much that it hurt. His chest ached, and the only thing he could do was cry, and cry he did.  
  
Usagi gasped. She had never, never in a million years, guessed that she would ever watch this man break down as he was doing now. She slowly pulled away, her arms holding him even closer, and her voice attempting to soothe him.   
  
It was then that the elevator decided to start working again. The lights came on and soft music began to play as the elevator began to descend once more.   
  
Mamoru, finally able to see her face, studied it carefully. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were bruised, but what fascinated him the most were her eyes. They were shining with something he couldn't place, something he had never truly seen directed towards him before. His mind reeled as he tried to name it and, unable to comprehend the adoration that emitted from her, he took it as some foreign form of pity. Disgusted with himself, he quickly wiped away the tears that he had shed earlier. Her face changed to a state of confusion as she felt his walls rise once more.  
  
"Mamoru, what's wrong?" Trying to understand what was going through his mind.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Don't shut me out again!" She cried in frustration, glaring at him. "I want you to share your feelings with me."  
  
"I have nothing I want to share with you except my bed," he calmly stated, his voice filled with his usual cynical tone. She winced as it cut through her like a knife, slicing away the precious moment from seconds before.  
  
"Mamoru, wha-?"  
  
"You heard me. You're a toy that I'm temporarily satisfied with, nothing more." She sucked in her breath and her eyes widened. It was killing him to hurt her, but that only made him continue. He didn't need her; he didn't need anyone. Slowly gathering confidence as he spoke, his voice became harsher and clearer. Who was he trying to convince, her or himself? "I don't need you, and I don't need your pity." He pushed her off of his lap and stood up before heading the now open, elevator doors.  
  
"Mamoru..." Usagi whispered softly, involuntarily reaching an arm out towards him as he continued to walk away. When he didn't turn around, or slow his exit, she choked on a sob, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears spilled down her cheeks as the elevator doors closed. Ironically, Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker" began to play.  
  
Your love is like a tidal wave, rushing over my head...  
  
You're a heart breaker, dream maker, love taker don't you mess around me...  
  
"Motoki, you are too good!" He chuckled and patted himself on the back as he strolled leisurely across the hotel lounge. He checked his watch. About ten minutes ago, he had called in a request to fix the elevators, which were "apparently not working." Motoki turned his eyes to the first-floor elevator door expectantly. As if on cue, the humming and droning picked up, and in a few moment, a light flashed over the doors, and a little bell rang. Out stormed Mamoru, his face void of emotion.  
  
"Hey Mamoru!" Motoki called, but the glowering man just kept walking. "So," he called as he jogged to catch up with him. "Anything interesting happen?" He laughed.  
  
Mamoru said nothing.   
  
"You'll just have to owe me one then, eh?"  
  
Mamoru stopped and turned to face him. "What?"  
  
"Maybe one day when I've got a little hottie in the elevator with me you could-"  
  
Mamoru swung his fist and caught him in the face.  
  
Motoki stumbled backwards and looked shocked. So did everyone else in the lounge. But Mamoru looked unphased. He turned on his right heel and walked out the door.  
  
"Motoki!" Usagi cried out in dismay as she saw his bloody nose. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.   
  
"Usagi, what happened in there?" He placed his hand over his bloody nose.  
  
"...I'm not sure..." She moved his hand and gasped when she saw the quickly purpling color. "He's such a monster!" Clenching her fists, she stomped outside and tapped Mamoru on the shoulder. "Hey, you! Where do you think you're going? You still owe me breakfast," she spat, looking at him with such hatred that he almost ran away in fear.   
  
"I. Owe. You. Nothing." The same amount of emphasis was placed on each word in his monotonous tone. "But, for the record," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some money, "here." He placed the money into her hand. "I have to go." He turned and started to walk away.  
  
"What about my clothes and stuff, they're still in your apartment..." she said, her voice quivering slightly.  
  
"Go to the front desk. Box 106. Spare key."  
  
"You know, for a minute in that elevator I was able to forget that cruelty existed in this world. Yeah, your kiss actually made me forget that, me who has experienced it first hand. For a moment I actually thought...No. Forget what I thought. Just let me say thank you for bringing me back to reality!"  
  
It stung his heart to hear her say those words, but they were mere pinpricks compared to the...weakness...he had felt when she had looked into his eyes. Mamoru didn't want to feel like that-like an animal. So he swallowed what remaining anguish he felt.  
  
And he walked away.  
  
Did you enjoy? Well, if you did, make sure to review! We have still more of the story to post and will only do so if we get lots and lots of lovely reviews. Peace out! 


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